


Fukurodani's Aristocat

by bonbonvanilla808



Series: Fukurodani's Aristocat [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!, Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Childhood Friends, Choose Your Own Ending, Crossover, Exes, F/M, Sexual Humor, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2018-12-25 03:17:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 98,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12026958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonbonvanilla808/pseuds/bonbonvanilla808
Summary: Who will win her heart?The calm and composed, sometimes cheeky, vice-captain of Fukurodani.The stoic childhood friend who is now Shiratorizawa's intimidating ace.The laid-back setter from Nekoma with an endearingly shy personality.Or the charismatic ex from the past who's still an important part of her life.Coach Nekomata's granddaughter makes an appearance at the Tokyo Summer Training camp. Living up to her name, the young Nekomata is flexible and agile; a star cheerleader at Fukurodani. She's charming, beautiful, smart, and several of our lovable volleyball nerds (along with a certain basketball dork) have fallen for her.Hard.





	1. Nekomata's Granddaughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "TANAKA! NISHINOYA! Wipe your drool off the floor! It's disgusting!"
> 
> "Geh?! YAMAMOTO, STOP CRYING!"
> 
> "Crappykawa, get back here! She doesn't want your number!"
> 
> "IWAAAAA-CHAAAAANNN, you're so mean!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to update this chapter because I misspoke about how Sayuri met her middle school friends. Now that I'm almost done with this story, I'll most likely go back and fix any mistakes once it's finished.
> 
> UPDATED: March 23, 2018

_Meow_

Soft paws prodded Sayuri’s face, waking her up and stealing her away from her dreams. Blinking at the sunlight trickling through her curtains, she swatted at whatever was disrupting her sleep only for them to increase their attack with gusto. Unable to ignore them any longer, she rolled over to look at the culprits with a groan: two cats, one with fur as dark as night and the other white as snow, stared at her unblinkingly with emerald-green eyes compelling her to rub them under their chins; snuggling into the curves of her body, the two cats’ satisfied purrs filled the room.

“Yoru, Yuki," she cooed, pressing a kiss to the tops of their heads while stifling a yawn, "you both are spoiled rotten, aren’t you?”

Gently pushing them aside, she crawled out of bed, raising her arms above her head and stretching the sleep and kinks out of her body. Not ready to let her go, the two cats wound themselves around the girl's legs, making it hard for her to move. “Come on you two, I need to get ready for my run,” she huffed, bending down to nuzzle their silky fur. “Unless you’d like to come with me?”

Two pairs of eyes stared back at her, seemingly saying _Are you really asking us that?_ , before the cats wriggled out of her grasp and sashayed out of the room.

A moment of silence passed as Sayuri watched them leave before she slowly stood up and sighed. “Eat a snickers bar, you drama queens,” she grumbled, shaking her head with a smile. They were feisty and gave her a lot of sass, but she loved her cats dearly.

Heading over to her dresser, she dug through the drawers for her usual running gear: a pair of spandex shorts, a sports bra, a fitted white top, and her Fukurodani sports jacket. After donning her clothes, she made her way through the quiet house, pulling her long, black hair into a ponytail as she treaded lightly down the stairs.

Reaching the first floor, Sayuri popped into a small room just next to the stairs, who's walls were lined with pictures of her and her family; at the center of it all was a small _butsudan_ , filled with pictures of a young-looking man, no older than his mid-thirties, with gray eyes just like hers, but darker, and messy blonde hair that curled up in some places.

“Morning ‘ _tou-san_ ,” she greeted with a smile, kneeling in front of the altar and pressing her hands together.

Born in Tokyo, Sayuri and her family moved to her mother's hometown of Sendai shortly after turning two. Showered with love by doting parents, she had a lively childhood filled with happiness; however, that all shattered when a car accident took the life of her father towards the end of her second year of elementary, leaving her and her mother devastated.

So when her mother was offered a job that required her to relocate to America, the two packed up and left without hesitation. After a few years abroad, allowing enough time to heal, they returned to Japan to help support her paternal grandfather when his wife died, both of which who had loved Sayuri's mother like she was their own.

Life had thrown a curve-ball at her early on, but she had her family, her friends, and her sports to get her through it all.

After paying her respects, Sayuri headed into the dining room, where her mother was hunched over her laptop reading an article on the latest cancer studies. "Morning ‘ _kaa-san,_ ” she hummed, pecking the woman on the temple before making her way to the kitchen to get a glass of water. "Do you have to go into lab today?"

“Hey there, kitten. I've got a meeting with a few of my coworkers in an hour and I still have a bit to prepare," her mother mumbled without looking up, her eyes glued to the screen as she took a big gulp of coffee. "Are you going for your usual run?” All around her, papers were scattered across the dining table, many of which were covered in blocks of texts and complex diagrams. The older woman had long been an accomplished and respected researcher, having worked at many prestigious institutes, but her reputation had skyrocketed after her most recent cancer drug discovery, garnering attention from all around the world; lately, she was always going on trips to give seminars at universities or present her work at conferences.

“Mmhmm," Sayuri murmured, coming up from behind to rest her chin on her mother's head. "Did you need me get anything while I'm out?”

The woman quickly glanced at a small paper bag sitting on the counter before returning to her computer. "Could you bring Ji-ji his medicine? I refilled his prescription but forgot to give it to him before he left for practice.”

Cocking her head in confusion, Sayuri frowned. It was summer vacation and she knew that the volleyball team her grandfather coached usually only met in the afternoons during this time of year. "Practice? But it's too early, isn't it?"

Finally taking a break from her work, her mother tilted her head back to look at her daughter. “Didn't you know? Ji-ji’s team, along with a few other schools, are having a three-week long joint training camp starting today. This week it’s being held at Fukurodani.”

“Ahh, I think I remember Kaori- _chan_ mentioning something about a training camp, but I didn’t know who was going" Sayuri recalled with a nod. Giving her mother a loving pat on the shoulder, she made her way towards the door, grabbing the paper bag as she passed by and slipping into her jacket pocket. "Anyway, I'll make sure to bring Ji-ji his medicine since I usually run past school. I might hang out a bit since my friend is one of the managers, so I'll probably be back by lunch.”

Blowing a kiss, her mother smiled. “Thanks kitten! Love you!” her mother called out as Sayuri slipped on her shoes and headed outside.

“Love you too, ‘ _kaa-san_!”

* * *

The summer air was warm and the sky was clear — a perfect day to be outside. Flying through the twist and turns of her neighborhood, the _thud_ of Sayuri's feet against the pavement matched her racing heart, adrenaline coursing through her veins and any remnants of sleepiness from when she woke up was long gone.

Sayuri loved to run.

Sure, pretty much 90% of the world’s population would disagree, but it was a way for her to let go of all her thoughts, if only for a bit. Running had even helped her cope with her dad’s death as well. Right after his passing, both her mother and her were emotionally unstable, and while her mother threw herself into her research as a distraction, the only thing that calmed Sayuri down was running. She ran in the morning before school, in the afternoon after classes ended, and even joined her school’s cross country team so that she didn’t have to run on the track all the time; maybe it was due to her genetics, since both her father and grandfather were quite the athletes back in their prime, but she was naturally fast too, as she was always one of the top runners amongst both the girls and boys.

But while she loved running, it couldn’t even compare to cheerleading.

Sayuri _absolutely_ loved cheerleading. Sometime during her fifth year of elementary school, out of boredom, she had tagged along with a few of her friends to a club in their neighborhood. She had always quite flexible, something she also got from her father, and with her innate athleticism it was no surprise that she was a natural. Designated as a flyer due to her thin build and relatively petite stature, Sayuri was initially hesitant to commit because of her extreme fear of heights; however, she quickly grew to love the sport. The feeling of flying in the air was exhilarating and scary — it made her feel _alive_.

That's why, when she moved back to Japan and had to choose one, cheerleading won hands down.

Reaching the front gates of Fukurodani _Gakuen_ , Sayuri slowed down to a leisurely pace, jogging over to her school’s gyms where the boys volleyball team usually held practices; inside, she could hear the squeak of shoes against the court and the shouts of players cheering their teammates to another point. Quickly wiping the thin sheet of sweat on her face, she carefully pushed open the gym doors, trying enter without anyone noticing.

“HEY, HEY, HEY! Sayuri- _chan_!!!”

_Fuck. So much for not being noticed_ , Sayuri thought, turning towards the source of the shouting to see Bokuto Koutarou wildly waving his arms in the air. As usual, he was brimming with energy and excitement — a child in the body of a buff high school boy.

Despite being in the middle of a match, and much to the frustration of the rest of his team, the captain of Fukurodani's boy's volleyball team charged at the girl, sweeping her into his arms and crushing her in a tight hug. "What are you doing here? Are you helping out with the training camp?!" he yelled, his voice booming throughout the gym.

“Hello, Bokuto- _san_ ,” she gasped, when he finally released her, "And no, I'm just running an errand."

"An errand?" he asked, his golden-colored eyes wide. "What kind of errand?"

During the two's entire exchange, everyone else's gazes were locked on the girl, their thoughts running wild as to who she could be and why she was there.

_Who is she?_

_Is she another one of Fukurodani’s managers?_

_She’s so cute!_

Ignoring Bokuto's questions and the stares from the other players, Sayuri calmly walked over to Nekoma High's side of the court; making her way over to their head coach, stooping down to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.

“Morning Ji-ji," she hummed, pulling the paper bag from her jacket and handing it over to the older man, " _Kaa-san_ forgot to give it to you before you left so I stopped by during my run."

There was a moment of silence, as everyone processed what was going on, before the gym erupted into chaos.

“EEEEEEHHHHHHH?!?!?!?!?!?!””

\-----

“Everyone, this is my granddaughter, Nekomata Sayuri," Nekomata Yasufumi introduced, waving a hand at the girl next to him. "Sayu’s a first year at Fukurodani, so a few of you might know her."

" _Hajimemashite_ ," she greeted with a bow, "And please, call me Sayuri to avoid confusion with Ji-ji."

"She also goes by Sayu or Kitten," Yasufumi added, much to the embarrassment of his granddaughter. Tilting his head, he glanced at her with pleading eyes. "Anyway, I believe that she helps out Fukurodani's practices from time to time, so hopefully she’ll stay and help us for a bit as well?”

Sayuri narrowed her eyes at her grandfather, annoyed at being involuntarily volunteered but unable to refuse him. “Fine,” she sighed in defeat, turning back to the crowd gathered around them. “While I may know some stuff about volleyball from Ji-ji and from helping Kaori- _chan_ and Yukie- _senpai_ , I'm still an amateur so  _yoroshiku onegaishimasu._ ”

"YOU’RE NEKOMATA’S GRANDDAUGHTER?” Bokuto shouted, still in shock, his eyes looking back-and-forth between Sayuri and Nekoma's coach. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

_He really does look like a horned owl_ , Sayuri thought to herself, referring to his silver-and-black streaked hair that stood up in spikes atop his head. 

Before she could answer his question, a voice from behind responded for her. “Nekomata is not a common family name, Bokuto- _san_ ,” Fukurodani’s vice captain and setter calmly stated, yanking the older boy back and away from the girl. "And could you please calm down? You're bothering Sayuri and Coach Nekomata," he added, making the buff owl pout.

“Keiji- _kun_!” Sayuri beamed, wrapping her arms around Akaashi and burying her face in his chest, failing to see the blush blooming on his cheeks. 

Patting her head, the raven-haired boy chuckled, his eyes softening at her. "Hey Sayuri, nice to see you too."

"Now isn't this adorable?" a voice interrupted, and Sayuri looked up to see a tall lanky boy with narrowed eyes and hazel, cat-like pupils. The most notable feature, though, was the mess of black hair on his head that resembled a rooster's comb. "Nice to meet you, Neko- _chan_ ," he smirked, holding a hand out, which hesitantly took, "Name's Kuroo Tetsurou and I'm the captain of the team your grandfather coaches." Bending down to her height, he raised a brow. "So what's the Nekomata princess doing at Fukurodani? Why not go to Nekoma?"

Seeing his curiosity mirrored in the faces throughout the gym, Sayuri giggled. "Well, funnily enough, Fukurodani is much closer to my house than Nekoma is, so I mainly go here because of the conveniency. Another big reason is that Fukurodani has an amazing cheer team that is quite well-known."

"You're a cheerleader?" Kuroo whistled, eyeing the girl's lean body.

Akaashi subtly stepped in front of Sayuri, blocking her from the cat's appraising gaze. "She also happens to be the vice-captain, as well," he explained as he waved over Shirofuku Yukie an Suzumeda Kaori, Fukurodani's two managers.

Each girl taking one of Sayuri's arm, they dragged her away from the group, somehow pulling on her jacket and exposing the tank top and spandex she wore underneath, the pale skin of her bare arms and legs making all the boys blush.

“TANAKA! NISHINOYA! Wipe your drool off the floor! It’s disgusting!”

“Geh?! YAMAMOTO, STOP CRYING!”

“Crappykawa, get back here! She doesn’t want your number!”

“IWAAAAA- _CHAAAAANNN_ , you’re so mean!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh this is my first fan-fic! I know I suck, so criticism is definitely welcomed! I'm not sure how long this work will be and I don't have a clue as to where it's headed, but here it goes!


	2. Childhood Friends and Unspoken Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sayu- _nyan_ , don't be shy. We all know they want some of dat as-"
> 
> "Yukie- _senpai_ , please. Not you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: March 23, 2018

“You’re so popular, Sayu- _chan_.”

Sayuri gave the smirking Suzumeda a pointed look, but there wasn't much force behind it; she couldn’t stay mad at her classmate and close friend. The two had gotten to know each other ever since high school started, as they were both in the same college-preparatory class, and the girl was the one that had gotten her involved with the boy’s volleyball club in the first place. 

_A month into school, midterm season came around and half the team was failing math and science — which happened to be Sayuri's best subjects, courtesy of her mother's teachings growing up. Knowing this, Suzumeda had pleaded with Sayuri to help out and it was hard for her to say no to the girl, who was on the verge of tears. Arriving at their study session, Sayuri was met with chaos: the usual team tutors, Akaashi and Washio, were at their limits; Konoha, Sarukui, and Komi were pulling out their hair; even worse, a dejected Bokuto had completely given up and had resigned himself to spiking the ball against the wall with a blank look on his face. His mind elsewhere_ _, the emo-Bokuto had spiked a ball directly into Sayuri’s face – which she thoroughly chewed him out for._

_“Bokuto-san, I will CUT you,” she had said after putting him in a chokehold, her bloody nose making her look even more terrifying. And, while the rest of the team was cowering in fear, her threat had snapped him back to reality and from then on she had become an unofficial manager (of their captain)._

“Sayu- _nyan_ , don’t be shy. We all know they want some of dat as-“

With a groan, Sayuri covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. "Please, Yukie- _senpai_ , not you too!" 

The older girl just laughed and playfully slapped both of the younger girls on the back, a sly grin splitting her face. “You girls have to live a little! When are you ever going to be surrounded by this many hunks again?!” she winked, licking her lips. The two first years giggled at the hungry look in their senpai’s eyes, shaking their heads before going back to their managerial duties.

At that point, the first round of morning matches had come to an end and the girls began handing out water bottles and towels. While making sure everyone was hydrated, Sayuri's eyes wandered to the back of the gym, watching as someone soared into the air to smack down a toss with a reverberating _thud_.

_Is that…?_

Sayuri quietly headed towards the Shiratorizawa volleyball club, who was currently practicing amongst themselves since they had a break (due to the odd number of participating schools). As she made her way through the group, giving everyone water bottles and towel, she stopped before the team's captain.

“Toshi- _kun_ , is that really you?”

“Sayu,” Ushijima Wakatoshi asked with a slight raise of his eyebrows. The normally stoic captain of the Miyagi powerhouse could hardly contain his surprise at the black-haired beauty in front of him. After years of silence between them, with the exception of a few letters here and there, he had thought she would avoid him like the plague — and yet, here she was, the girl he had loved since childhood, willingly talking to him.

“It’s nice to see you again, Toshi- _kun_! I thought you had forgotten me when you stopped replying to my letters,” Sayuri beamed, taking his hands into hers.

_How could I ever forget you?_ Ushijima thought, blinded by her smile.

_"Toshi-kun! Toshi-kun! Let's play volleyball! You always look so cool when you spike the ball," said the young girl, smiling at the stoic young boy with her. Wakatoshi usually never got along with the other kids his age. They were mean, calling him weird since he would always bluntly say what was on his mind. But Sayuri, with her shiny black hair in pigtails and a missing front tooth in her wide smile, would always look at him with nothing but love in her gray eyes. He always felt at ease with her because he could be himself around her._

Ushijima was broken out of his reverie when Sayuri gave his hands a light squeeze hoping to convey that she wasn't upset. She knew he had meant no harm by not keeping in touch — his passion was volleyball and she was not about to get in the way.

Little did she know that the reason why he failed to reconnect with her, even when she had moved back to Japan, was because he felt unworthy of her. His life revolved around volleyball and he feared she would leave his life for good when he couldn't give her all the attention she deserved; he would rather have her in his life as an acquaintance, than not at all. 

Patting her head to let her know he understood her unspoken words, a tender smile formed on Ushijima's face.

Someone coughed, jolting the two from their little moment.

So immersed in her reunion with her childhood friend, Sayuri hadn't noticed the others crowding around them. She turned to the group and gave them a sheepish grin, laughing at the surprise and confusion on their faces.

"You all must be curious as to how Toshi- _kun_ and I know each other," she giggled with a small smile, "I grew up in Sendai before moving to America and because our parents knew each other, we used to play together all the time. I guess you could call us childhood friends?” Her voice unsure, she glanced at Ushijima for confirmation; when he gave a slight nod in agreement, her face lit up as she turned back to the rest of the team, missing the faint blush on the ace's face. “I'll be in your care!” she greeted with a bow.

A few snickers followed by a loud smack made Sayuri look up; two tall and lanky boys, one with flaming red hair and the other with dirty blond locks, were cupping their cheeks in pain as they pouted at the ashen-haired boy next to them. “Don’t mind them, Sayuri- _san,"_ he mumbled, shooting a glare at them before holding his hand out, "Tendou and Kawanishi are just being stupid. I'm Semi Eita and it's nice to meet you.”

Nodding, Sayuri grabbed his hand and gave it a firm shake. "Likewise!"

The others soon followed with their own introductions, and Sayuri concentrated on remembering their names. The two tall boys from before were Tendou Satori and Kawanishi Taichi; while Tendou had spiky red hair and large, downturned eyes that gave him a sleepy look, Kawanishi had dark ginger hair and slanted, dark brown hooded eyes that only emphasized the scowl on his face. There was also the vice-captain, Soekawa Jin, who's small face framed by messy brown hair made him look softer than his teammates. In contrast, Ohira Reon had a large build and an appearance that resembled Benkei, even down to his haircut while Yamagata Hayato, Shiratorizawa's libero, had an undercut and thick, slanted eyebrows that gave him a permanent glare. Bringing up the rear, were Shirabu Kenjiro and the only first-year on the team, Goshiki Tsutomu, their strait-cut bangs making them look much younger than they were.

Once introductions were over, the underclassmen resumed practicing at the command of their captain, while the third years hung around the sidelines to continue chatting with Sayuri.

“You said you lived in America for a bit?” Reon asked, his voice very soothing compared to his intense expression.

“Mmhmm," she hummed, nodding her head, "I've was in California for about four years before moving back to Japan in the beginning of my first year of junior-high since someone needed to take care of Ji-ji after Ba-ba passed away.”

“So you must be fluent in English,” Semi chimed in, looking impressed, "since you were there for quite some time."

“Yeah, it was easy to pick up once I was thrown into the thick of it," she explained, picking up a nearby volleyball that had strayed from the court and tossing it to a waiting Shirabu. "I know a couple of other languages too, since my mother works with people from around the world; I would travel with her any chance I got and sort learned them in the process."

Overhearing her, Goshiki was wide-eyed in awe and, with his captain's orders of practicing long forgotten, he joined the group's conversation. “Whoa!" he exclaimed, bouncing up and down. "What other languages do you know?” Unable to contain his excitement, he had quickly closed the distance between them and was now towering over her, eagerly waiting for her answer.

“Uh, Goshiki? I suggest you move back and give Sayuri- _san_ some space,” Soekawa warned, seeing the murderous glint in Ushijima’s eyes. "I'm sure you're making her feel uncomfortable."

Unfazed, Sayuri reached up to playfully ruffle his hair, her eyes twinkling with amusement at the boy's energy. "No worries, Soekawa- _san_ ," she reassured him with a laugh, "I don't mind at all since Tsutomu's just so adorable!" Seeing the faint blush blooming on his cheeks and his child-like expression only spurred her further and she threw her arms around him and squealed. "See?!"

She was quickly stopped by a large hand, pulling her away from the poor boy who looked as if ready to pass out. Tilting her head back, she looked up at Ushijima, who had is normal, stoic expression on save for his slightly furrowed brows. "Sayu..." 

“Sorry, sorry," she pouted, crossing her arms and leaning into his chest; with a sigh, she threw Goshiki an apologetic look. "I keep forgetting how different it is in Japan compared to America. Anyway, besides Japanese and English, I'm fluent in Korean, since that's where many of _kaa-san_ 's colleagues are from there. Being in California, a lot of people in my neighborhood could speak Spanish, so while I can understand it really well and my pronunciation is almost perfect, my vocabulary is shit. I've also learned a bit of Mandarin and Cantonese, but I've still got a longs way to go before I can converse comfortably in the languages."

“Amazing! You're so cool!!“ Goshiki gasped, back to his originally perky self, "What does your mother do? What countries have you traveled to? Can you tell me what America is like? Do you—?"

Just then, a whistle signaled the end of the second round of matches, interrupting the boy's interrogation. On the court next to them, Nekoma had won against Karasuno, by just a smidge, and their next challenger would be Shiratorizawa.

“Looks like you guys are up next!" Sayuri laughed, breathing a sigh of relief after being saved from Goshiki's onslaught of questions. As the others started warming up for their match, Sayuri trailed behind, walking alongside her childhood friend; pulling on his arm to get his attention, she pushed up onto the tips of her toes to whisper in his ear. "Make sure to find me later so that we can exchange contact information!"

Before he could react, she ran off towards her where her grandfather was, leaving a frozen Ushijima in her wake. When she had crossed the gym, she turned around and gave them two thumbs up; "Good luck!” she shouted, her bright smile visible from where they were standing.

Tendou burst out laughing at the sight of his captain’s face, unable to contain his amusement.

“Shut up, Tendou.”  

* * *

_♫_ _She's a Killer Queen; Gunpowder, gelatin... _♫__

Moving to an unoccupied corner of the gym, Sayuri pressed the phone to her ear as she answered the call.

" _Kaa-san_?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry, "Is everything okay?" 

A tired sigh escaped her mother's lips and Sayuri could picture the older woman rubbing her temples in frustration. "Don't worry, kitten, everything's fine," she reassured her, "I just called to tell you that my meeting turned into an impromptu business trip so I'll be gone for the next month. Since Ji-ji's sleeping at the school during the week while the training camps are going on, I'm worried about you being at home, alone. Could you stay with him while I'm gone?"

"I can fend for myself," Sayuri argued, "Plus Ji-ji will be at home during the weekends—"

"Please, Sayuri?" her mother pleaded, using the girl's full name, which she only reserved for serious moments, "I know you're an independent and capable young woman, but I just like knowing you're safe."

With no other reason to refuse, Sayuri caved in. "Alright, _'kaa-san_. Have a safe trip!"

"Thanks kitten. I love you."

"Love you too."

A soft beep signaled the end of the call and Sayuri closed her phone with a sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Sayuri's ringtone for her mother is from the song "Killer Queen" by Queen.


	3. Hell Hath No Fury...But It Does Have Kaomojis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nekomama and Kis-ass discuss the circles of Hell and prove that one can never use too many kaomojis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely reference Dante's Inferno quite a lot in this chapter.

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**

_AY GURL HOLLA AT YA BOY. Where u at?_

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_Judecca_

_I'll tell Satan u said hi_

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**

_Always knew that mouth of urs would get u in trouble_

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_What can I say, my kisses r..._

_...treacherous_

┐(‘～` )┌

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**

(－‸ლ)

_But really, whatta ya up 2?_

 

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_Got roped into helping Ji-ji with some overnight volleyball training camp_

_It's like 3 weeks long but at a different school each week_

_& the Queen's left the castle for the next month _

_So she wants me 2 stay with him_

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**  

_BABE NO_

_WHEN AM I GOING 2 SEE YOU_

( ╥ω╥ )

 

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

(シ_ _)シ

_Gomen, gomen_

_Fo realz tho, we can still see each other over the weekend_

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**  

_IT'S NOT THE SAME_

(っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ

_But wait..._

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_?_

_To:_ **_Nekomama_ ** **_  
_ ** _From:_ **_Kis-ass_ **

_Overnight training camp..._

_Does this mean u'll be at the mercy of a bunch of attractive and muscular high school boys who like 2 smack balls?_

( • )( • )ԅ(≖‿≖ԅ)

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_Sweetie, those r boobs_

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**

 _Close enough_  

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_LOL_

_But these boys def r attractive...and u know how I like dem muscles_

ᕙ། – ڡ – །ᕗ ♥⌒ヽ(´ ❥ `)

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**

_Hakuna yo tatas_

_I can feel the flames of lust from here_  

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_Guess I should make a trip to the 2nd circle of Hell then_

_Gonna need those strong winds 2 tame this fire in me_

∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿

_Come with?_

 

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**  

_Already there_

_Cleopatra's a beauty but ain't got nothing on u, kitten_

☆⌒(≧▽° )

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_Meee-ooowwww bitch_

(＾• ω •＾)

 

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**  

(≧ڡ≦*)

_So, where r these training camps held at?_

 

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_This week's Fukurodani, next is Nekoma, and the last week's Shiratorizawa in Sendai_

_Still need 2 grab my overnight bag 4 this week. 'Kaa-san sprung this on me last minute_

(⇀‸↼‶)

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**  

 _Well, the Queen's orders r absolute._  

To:  **Kis-ass** **  
** From:  **Nekomama**

_Tru dat_

_Anyways, I'll catch u later. Ji-ji's shooting lasers out of his eyes_

〜(＞＜)〜

_I'll probs head home during the lunch break 2 grab my stuff. I'll call u while I'm walking_

_Love ya!_

To:  **Nekomama** **  
** From:  **Kis-ass**   

_Love ya too babe_

( ˘ ³˘)♥♥♥ 

 


	4. So...Do You Like Cheese?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Don't let Tetsuya hear you say that. You'll make him jealous."
> 
> "Don't worry, Kurokocchi knows I like dic-"
> 
> "RYOUTA."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's here!

With morning practice matches coming to a close, the boys were charged with cleaning up the gym while the managers prepped lunch. Saying she was a guest, the other girls insisted Sayuri take a break; not wanting to be the only one not pulling her weight, she managed to convince them to leave the laundry to her.

As she tossed the piles of towels and practice jerseys into the wash, Sayuri's head was filled with all the new names and faces of the people she had met.

Karasuno was a motley crew, filled with all types of people that Sayuri would have never expected to work — and yet even an outsider like her could tell that they were brimming with this energy to grow and evolve in skill at an alarming rate. Luckily, despite their tendency to steam roll through life, the captain/vice-captain duo did well to keep their rowdy crows in check; Shimizu Kiyoko and Yachi Hitoka, the managers of Karasuno, had lovingly referred to the two as "Dadchi" and "Sugamama", something Sayuri found suited them quite well.

Aobajohsai, on the other hand, was Karasuno's complete opposite. While the crows were a group of strong individuals, each standing out with their own unique skill they excelled at, Seijoh's team was, as a single unit, a well-oiled, highly efficient, machine; each part strong on its own, but shined the most when together. And though Oikawa Tohru, the captain, was an annoying flirt (or just plain annoying) most of the time, it was clear when he stepped on the court that he could be serious when he needed to, allowing him to bring his teammates to their full potential.

Like their name, Nekoma was definitely a group of cats, as seen by their ability to solidly receive any ball with their cat-like flexibility...

...and she expected nothing less from a team coached by her grandfather.

And like cats, they were distinguishable by their unusual  ~~fur~~  hairstyles; most notably, Kuroo Tetsurou, with his bedhead mane, Yamamoto Taketora, with his dual-colored mohawk, and Kozume Kenma's pudding head.

_His hair surprisingly suits him_ , Sayuri had thought when the shy setter quietly introduced himself, immediately taking a liking to the boy since he reminded her of one of her best friends from middle school. His straightforward personality was refreshing, compared to the  _interesting_ and somewhat tiring characters she had met just moments before, and she instantly felt at ease with him.

With the rest of his team resuming practice, Sayuri followed Kenma to sit on the sidelines, dropping down next to him as he pulled out a hand-held game counsel. Intrigued, she leaned over to look at the game he was playing, watching his fingers fly across the buttons and his eyes dart across the screen. So engrossed in his game, it took him several minutes to realize the close proximity of their faces, until a quite gasp from the girl caused Kenma to slip up, the words **GAME OVER** flashed across the screen. 

"What game are you playing?" Sayuri asked, and Kenma was surprised by the genuine interest in her voice — most people often gave up talking to him because of his introverted personality, let alone want to talk to him about games.

"The Pride Landers: 1.5," Kenma had softly replied, not looking away from his game, "It's based on the _Pride Landers_ movie franchise. You can choose to play as either Timothy and Pembe, both if you play in cooperative or team mode, in a quest to find Hakuna Matata. Making your way through the Serengeti, you have to solve puzzles and complete tasks. There are also chase sequences where Timothy rides Pembe, and you have to make sure you avoid hitting any obstacle. After each of the chapters are completed, you get special puzzle pieces that, when put together with the rest of them, display an image of Hakuna Matata..." Shocked at his own outburst, Kenma's voice died out as he threw a worried glance at the girl next to him in case he had happened to scare her away.

Instead, he was met with eyes filled with barely-contained excitement. "That's so cool, Kenma!" she gushed with a huge grin, "I'm definitely going to buy this game. Help me if I get stuck, ok?"

"S-sure Sayuri," Kenma had stuttered, his cheeks reddening; he wasn't used to someone other than Kuroo being interested in his games. "W-would you l-like to t-try?"

Handing her the console with a shaky hand, he watched as Sayuri's eyes lit up and began playing; however, a few moments and taps of the buttons later, she had immediately lost and turned to Kenma with large watery eyes and a pout. "Kenma," she whined, "help!"

Chuckling, the boy dipped his head closer to hers and pointed at the screen. "See this rock over here? You have to..."

Pulling herself from her reverie, Sayuri started the wash cycle and headed out of the gym. With her mom leaving for a business trip without warning, Sayuri needed to get a few things from home; she had already mentioned to her grandfather after the phone call with her mother about grabbing her overnight stuff, so she passed the gym to the front gates of the school.

"Sayuri- _san_!"

Turning her head, Sayuri saw some of the volleyball boys headed in her direction, an energetic redhead waving her over. "Hinata!" she said, jogging over to the group and greeting the bouncing middle-blocker before turning to the rest of them; Bokuto, Akaashi, and Kuroo were there, along with Goshiki, Inuoka, and Lev. "Hey everyone! Where ya guys headed to?"

"The _konbini_ because Bokuto- _san_ offered to buy us popsicles!" the orange-haired boy beamed as the other first years excited bobbed their heads in agreement, "Why don't you join us?"

_It's like I'm looking at the sun_ , Sayuri thought almost squinting her eyes at how bright the boy's smile was. "Ah, thanks for the offer, but I need to-" 

"SAYURICCHI!!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Sayuri was almost tackled by someone running at her. "Geh!" she cried out as she was pulled into a bone crushing hug, the breath squeezed out of her, "Ryouta, what are you doing here?"

"Hey there Kitten, I'm here to take you home!" Kise Ryota suggestively wriggled his eyebrows at her, leaning down to kiss her cheek before nodding his chin to behind him. "I was in the neighborhood after hanging out with Kurokocchi and figured I'd give you a ride."

Over his shoulder, she could see his motorcycle near the school gates and she shook her head. "Ryouta, honey," she cooed, wrapping her arms around his neck, "how sweet of you!'

Pressing his forehead to hers, he brought their faces close enough that their noses were almost touching. "Anything for you, babe," he winked, eliciting a snort from the girl.

"You whore," she snorted, leaning back so that he could clearly see her stick her tongue at him, "Don't let Tetsuya hear you say that. You might make him jealous." Kuroko Tetsuya, Kise's boyfriend, was another one of Sayuri's best friends from middle school, and, while his deadpan personality often made people wonder if he had any feelings at all, she know the boy was head-over-heels in love with the 6'2" man child before her.

As if able to read her thoughts, Kise leaned in closer with a smirk on his face. "Don't worry," he whispered, his voice teasing, "Kurokocchi knows I like dic-"

" _RYOUTA_."

Sayuri playfully slapped a hand over his mouth before quickly dropping it as the two dissolved into laughter. "Ok big boy, take me home," she said as she untangled herself from Kise's embrace, lightly slapping him on the chest. Catching the spare helmet Kise tossed to her, Sayuri finally turned back to the group to answer Hinata's question. "Thanks for the offer, but I have to head home to grab my stuff," she shouted over her shoulder as she made her way to Kise's bike, "I'll take a reign check on those popsicles!"

As she made herself comfortable, Kise glanced at the group of slack-jawed boys. Most of their gazes were filled with surprise or amazement. But one in particular was filled with intense jealousy...maybe even anger.

_Oh?_ _What do we have here?_ the blonde thought with a smirk,  _It hasn't even been a day and Sayurrichi's already breaking hearts._ Shaking his head in disbelief at his best friend's popularity, he sighed. Sure he was popular and had many fans, but even he couldn't compete with the number of confessions she had gotten when they were in middle school.

Once the girl was securely seated, with her arms around his waist and her body pressed into his broad back, the bike roared to life and zipped towards her house, leaving the volleyball boys stunned in their wake.

"He's so tall! _waaahhhh_! And rides a motorcycle! He and Sayuri- _san_ were like  _woosh_ and  _zoom_!" Hinata excitedly exclaimed, finally breaking the silence as they slowly began walking towards the nearby  _konbini_.

Nodding his head, Goshiki matched the redhead's enthusiasm. "Sayuri- _sama_ is amazing!" he cried, eyes shining with admiration.

"This kitty's just full of surprises," Kuroo mused, "Wonder if any of the boys here could tame her."

"Pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo- _san_ , Sayuri is not some wild animal that needs to be domesticated," Akaashi chided through gritted teeth, storming past him to walk next to Bokuto.

The cat captain raised his eyebrows at the younger boy's barely contained jealousy. "Oya oya oya?" he whistled under his breath, as a shit-eating grin split his face.

"Ne, ne Akaashi," the owl whined when the setter caught up, "Was that Sayuri- _chan_ 's boyfriend?" His ~~feathers~~ hair seemed to deflate along with him. Whether he was depressed because he couldn't hang out with his  _kouhai_ or because he thought the mysterious blonde was more cool than him, Akaashi didn't know, but he could help but feel depressed as well.

"I don't know Bokuto- _san_ ," he replied, clenching his fists.  _But I hope not._

* * *

 Sayuri watched as her surroundings passed by in a blur, the comforting hum of Kise’s motorcylcle in the background. Pulling up to her house, she unlocked the door and headed inside with Kise following right behind her. She began to roam around the house, hastily throwing clothes and other necessities into her duffle.

“You want something to eat, Sayuricchi?” Kise called out, and Sayuri could hear him rummaging through the cupboards.

Entering the kitchen, she found him leaning against the counter, stuffing his face with a bag of her favorite chips. “Ryouta, please stop acting as if this is your own house,” she snapped back, though there was little bite to her words, "Those chips are mine!"

“Kitten, please, I pretty much live here" the blonde laughed, proceeding to cram more chips into his mouth just to spite her. "You know how much your mom loves Kurokocchi and I. This chips are just as much mine as they are yours.”

Sayuri only answered with a grunt because she knew he was right. And it irritated her more knowing that he knew she knew he was right, the point emphasized by the kiss he blew her way.  _Smug piece of shit,_ she thought, flipping him off while shoving her cheer shoes into bag.

"Love you, too," he laughed, crumpling up the now empty bag and swiftly tossing it into the trash bin, “But anyway, are you hungry? I can make you something to eat.”

Her stomach growled in response and she gave her friend a sheepish grin — she hadn’t be able to eat anything all day, distracted by the nonstop surprises that kept coming her way. “Can you make me some _onigiri_?" she asked as began tidying up the house, which had been left a mess due to her mother's sudden departure. "The canned tuna's in the cupboard and there should be some leftover rice in the fridge."

"Anything for the princess of this castle," he said with a flourish of a bow and Sayuri laughed at his dramatics. "One order of  _tsuna-mayo onigiri_ , coming right up!"

Despite his flashy personality, Kise was a decent cook. Ever since his 13th birthday party, where her other friends had almost set Kuroko's house on fire (among other things), Kise and Sayuri were left in charge of cooking. His skilled hands quickly made a few _onigiri_ , and he handed them to Sayuri for her to eat.

“Ok ok, I’m all packed so let's go," she mumbled, her mouth full of food as she ushered the boy out of the house once everything was cleaned up, "Don’t want _Ji-ji_ to have a hissy fit from me taking too long.”

Pulling up to the school’s front gates, she gracefully dismounted the bike and headed towards the gyms, where she heard the sounds indicating that the afternoon practices had already started. There was the squeak of sneakers and the thud of volleyballs as they hit the ground, along with a few loud “ _Don’t mind, don’t mind!_ ”, “ _Nice kill!_ “, and “ _mou ippon_ ”s.

Next to her, Kise fell into step after locking up his bike. “I can't wait see  _Ji-ji_ again!" he almost squealed, clapping his hands together in excitement as his lips split in a fond smile, "He's never home when I come to visit and it's been a while since all of us hung out!”

"Yeah, it has been a while."

Noticing the dip in the girl's mood, Kise grabbed her bag, picked her up, and threw her on his back. Laughter bubbled up within her and Sayuri erupted in giggles as he galloped the remaining distance to the gym. Unsuccessfully stifling their laughs, the two tried to enter the gym as quietly as possible, so not to disrupt the ongoing practice matches.

Unfortunately the sight of a beautiful girl on the back of a handsome guy was hard to miss, and all eyes were on them as the pair made their way to Nekoma's coach.

Gently placing Sayuri on the ground, Kise affectionately wrapped his arms around the old man. “ _Ji-ji_! It’s nice to see you again!” he loudly whispered, rubbing his cheek against the man's head.

“Good to see you too Ryouta- _kun_ , I see you’re lively as always” Yasufumi chuckled. "Bring the rest of the gang next time you come over. I haven't seen everyone else since the school year started."

"Will do! Everyone misses you! Though they probably miss Yoru and Yuki even more," Kise teased with a smirk.

"You cheeky brat."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Title from the movie, "She's the Man". I was stuck on the title for a long time, but I love "She's the Man" and I thought this chapter was pretty cheesy regarding Kise and Sayuri's relationship.
> 
> NOTE 2: The game Kenma's playing is based on The Lion King 1 1/2 for Gameboy Advance. That game was my childhood and I was obsessed with it. Description of the game is from here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King_1%C2%BD_(video_game)
> 
> NOTE 3: This is an AU where Kise actually joined Teiko's basketball team in his first year, not second. Also, the relationship between the GOM never faltered and they're all still close friends after moving on to high school.


	5. Boku Gets Rejected by a Student From Another School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise's being a little shit and Bokuto's gone into emo-mode. Of course Sayuri's the one who has to clean up mess.
> 
> UPDATED: August 10, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

"LEV! Block with your arms, not with your face!" 

It was the middle of a match between Fukurodani and Nekoma and the first-year middle blocker was splayed on the ground after taking a spike to the face. In a flash, Yaku and Kuroo ran onto the court to help the giant, dragging him to the sidelines to get first aid. Once seated on a nearby bench, Sayuri hurriedly pressed a towel to the poor boy's face.

"I can still play!" Lev insisted the instant Sayuri removed the towel to check on him, bolting up in protest, "My nose isn't bleeding!"

"It's obviously bleeding,  _urusai_!" Kuroo and Yaku both shouted, pointing out the blatant lie as Sayuri gently tugged the giant back down.

Crossing his arms, Lev grudgingly conceded, pouting as the girl tenderly stuck tissues up his nose while applying an ice pack to his forehead. Next to them, Kuroo waited until Sayuri nodded her head to indicate that his  _kouhai_  was alright before heaving a sigh. As he turned to take the first-year's place on the court, Coach Nekomata stopped him by the wrist.

"Wait," the old man interjected, shaking his head when Kuroo looked at him in question, "let's shake things up a bit." Tilting his head back, he glanced at Kise with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Ryouta- _kun_ , why don't you go out there and replace Lev?"

Realizing what he meant, Kise jumped up and headed onto the court to stand between Inuoka and Yamamoto, giving the older Nekomata a high-five on his way there. Players on both sides looked between the two, confusion apparent on their faces as they wondered the same thing.

 _Did this guy even know how to play volleyball?_  

They all turned to the Nekoma coach for an explanation — only for him to just laugh. "Don't worry, just play how you normally do and Ryouta- _kun_  will adapt," he assured them with a chuckle as Sayuri shook her head in exasperation.

 _Here they go again_.

"Ji-ji," Sayuri sighed, making one last final check on Lev's nose before taking a seat next to her grandfather, "Every time Ryouta's around, you two always cause some sort of ruckus." Glancing up at Nekoma's captain, whose face was still twisted in confusion, she chuckled. "Here, take a seat," she suggested, patting the space next to her before turning her attention to the resuming game, "things are about to get interesting."

"What's that look for?" Kuroo questioned as he plopped down, noticing the almost creepy grin on the girl's face, "And can the guy even play volleyball?" Nodding his head at the blonde, the third-year's eyes narrowed in doubt.

But just as the words left his mouth, there was a blur of gold and the ball smacked against the court on Fukurodani's side — after blocking Konoha's straight, Kise landed lightly on his feet with a smug grin. "Ah...Well, it's not a huge surprise that he can block," Kuroo conceded, referring to the boy's tall stature.

"Don't underestimate him," Sayuri scolded, not bothering to take her eyes off the game, "Ryouta may be a basketball player, but that doesn't mean he's terribe at everything else — just watch."

Amazed at her confidence, Kuroo brought his attention back to the match in front of him; at Nekoma's baseline, Kenma was ready to serve, and with a strike of his hand, the ball soared into the air towards Fukurodani's libero.

"Akaashi!" Komi cried, as the ball connected with his arms and flew into the air.

Akaashi positioned himself under the ball and prepared to toss it. "Bokuto- _san_!" he called out, sending it to the ace.

Bokuto jumped up, his body poised to send it zooming over the net, only to pull a feint at the last moment in order to get past Inuoka and Kise's block. Just when it seemed that the owl would score a point, Yaku dove for the ball, expertly getting it back up into the air for Kenma to toss. "Yakkun's receives give me goosebumps!" the ace hissed as he landed, always impressed by the caliber of Nekoma's libero.

The moment his feet touched the ground after his block, Kise quickly bolted across the court to come up behind Nekoma's setter. "Kozume- _san_ , trust me with this one!" he shouted as he moved, leaping up into the air to attack, much to the surprise of everyone, including Kenma. 

 _Might as well send it to him._  

With a flick of Kenma's wrists, the ball zipped over to the blonde and Kise swung his arm, challenging the two-person block in front of him. Used to Murasakibara's defense, the ball slammed through Akaashi and Bokuto's defense, scoring a point for Nekoma.

Brushing his hair back like the model his was, Kise turned towards Sayuri and winked. "Did you see that Sayuricchi?" he sang, laughing when the girl flipped him off, "Don't fall in love with me!"

"You wish!"

Meanwhile, everyone on the court was in awe. "WHOA, nice kill!" Inuoka gushed, giving Kise a high-five, with the rest of Nekoma following suit; even Kenma was surprised by the boy's skill, acknowledging him with a nod.

With the point going to Nekoma, it was Kenma's turn to serve again, and the ball soared over the net towards Konoha. After a solid receive, along with a back-attack from Akaashi and Washio Tatsuki, it was in the cat's court. Silently, the second-year wing spiker, Fukunaga Shohei passed the ball to his setter, who moved with minimal movements.

"Wow," Sayuri gasped in awe, intrigued by how little the boy moved, leaving his opponents no way of guessing what he was doing next. "Kenma's amazing!"

Just like a cat, Kenma's hearing was quite sensitive and, amongst the many squeaks and grunts reverberating in the gym, he picked up the girl's words. Embarrassed and distracted, he put too much force in the toss, throwing off the ball's trajectory past it's intended mark — right above Kise's right shoulder for a quick attack. "Geh!" Kenma spat, realizing his mistake and he could only watch as the ball flew over the other boy's head, hoping one of his other teammates would save it.

What he didn't account for was Kise's quick reflexes and amazing agility — despite already in the middle of an approach, the blonde came to a dead stop before jumping diagonally for a slide hit, avoiding one of Bokuto's blocks to score another point for Nekoma.

"This kid is getting on my nerves," the owl whined as he wiped the sweat from his brow, his sentiment mirrored on the faces of most of his teammates. Even Akaashi, who wasn't one to let his emotions get the better of him, was trying hard not to glare at the  ~~nuisance~~  boy.

Sensing the hidden animosity, Kise's lips turned up in a knowing smirk and he winked at the setter, whose eyes narrowed slightly.

Catching her grandfather's smug grin at Fukurodani's struggle, Sayuri sprang up from her seat, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Don't let him get to you guys," she shouted at her school's team; turning to her best friend, she ran her thumb across her neck in an empty threat, who only laughed and blew a kiss at her in response. "Just you wait, Ryouta, my owls will shut you down!" she huffed, plopping back on the bench.

Irritated as she was that he was toying with her schoolmates, she couldn't help but be proud of the blonde. Seeing him adapt so quickly always reminded her of their middle schools days.

_He was a piece of shit then, and a piece of shit now, but I wouldn't change him for the world._

"Uh...Neko- _chan_?"

Frowning at the nickname, Sayuri raised her brow at the confused Nekoma captain. Seeing his wide eyes and the question behind them, she chuckled as she tried her best to explain. "Ryouta's well known for his copying abilities, as he can copy any technique he sees and often with more power than the original. Though basketball's his sport of choice, his impressive visual comprehension allows him to analyze and mimic someone's movements in no time," she shrugged, nonchalantly, used to his crazy ability, "In middle school, P.E. classes were pretty boring for him because he didn't have any competition."

"So...you're saying that in the short time he was watching us play, he was able to comprehend and perfectly execute our blocks and attacks?" Kuroo asked slowly, taking in everything the girl said.

"Exactly," she confirmed, "though I'm pretty sure he can do it almost simultaneously. It's the reason why him and the rest of our friends from Teiko won Nationals three years in a row. Each with their own individual special skill, they were known as the Generation of Miracles," she proudly confessed, her chest puffed out.

"And I thought Ushijima was a monster," he mumbled under his breath as he swung his head back to face the court, just in time for the next rally.

Faced with the wall that was Inuoka and Kise for a second time, Bokuto rebounded off their hands to regroup. "Agkaashi!" Bokuto cried as he went in for a cross, only for it to be blocked, forcing him to spike the ball straight into Yaku's waiting arms. The ball continued going back and forth over the net until an attack from Yamamoto was saved by Komi, and with the ball up in the air, Bokuto called for the it one more time. "AAAKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAASSSSSHHHIIIIIIIIIIII!" he yelled, swinging his arm with as much force as possible — only for him to get shut down by Kise, whose face was split into a shit-eating grin.

"AAARRGGGGHHHHH!" Bokuto cried, his hands pulling at his hair as he sank to his knees.

Trying to calm down his captain's volatile personality, Washio patted the boy's back. "Don't mind, don't mind. We'll get the next one," Washio said, his low voice gentle but also stern at the same time, "Now get back into position; they're about to serve again."

Again, the ball zipped through the air over to Fukurodani's side, this time going straight to their ace. "Send it to meee!" Bokuto roared, the ball bouncing off his arms, "I'll turn this around in one go!!"

With the ball soaring towards him, Akaashi quickly considered the potential outcomes of tossing to the fired-up wing-spiker.

_Case A: He scores and there's no problem._

_Case B: He misses or is blocked again. In this situation, there's a possibility of him losing more motivation than usual._

_Case C: I don't toss to him and there's a risk of him sulking._

_..._

_Ugh, case C is the most troublesome_.

Not wanting to deal with a pouting man-child, and most certainly when he was the cause of it, Akaashi tossed the ball to the buff owl. "Bokuto- _san_ ,  _onegaishimasu_!" he said, hoping things really did end in one go in order to avoid the worst.

Unfortunately luck was not on his side.

Once again, Kise managed to block the ace and in silence that followed, Fukurodani watched as their captain's whole body deflated. 

_There it is! Bokuto's emo mode!_

In a dramatic flurry, Bokuto swung his arm over his face and cried, "AKAASHI! Don't pass any more to me today!" 

Every one of his team members groaned, knowing that once in his dejected mood, it would be a while before it came back to his senses; and while Fukurodani was more than capable of playing without their ace, they were too tired from a day full of practices and so they figured doing the next best thing: tilting his head towards where she was sitting, Akaashi gave Sayuri an exasperated look, along with apologetic grimaces from the other Fukurodani players. “Sayuri, if you would," he said, indicating the mess that was Bokuto. 

Heaving a heavy sigh, Sayuri nodded in response and the whole gym watched as she sauntered up to Bokuto, resting her hand on his bicep and looking at him directly with  ~~puppy-dog~~  kitten eyes. “Kotarou- _kun_ ,” she crooned, her voice low and husky, "You're just having a bad day, sweetie. Nobody's perfect." A spark of recognition ignited in his previously blank eyes, but it wasn't enough to fully pull him out of his stupor.

 _Time to kick things up a notch_.

Walking her fingers up his arm and across his shoulder, she curled her hand around his neck, bringing up her other arm until they were circled around the boy. Seeing the owl's eyes widen slightly in response to her touch, she ignored the stares of everyone in the gym and continued her attack. "You're the big, strong ace of Fukurodani, right?" she purred, arching her back, just enough that they weren't touching, but she could feel the heat coming off of his body.

 _I bet everyone’s dick just twitched,_  Kise thought with a smirk, trying to contain his laughter after seeing the red faces of the boys around him. _She's definitely a seductive little kitty..._

"Wakatoshi, the water bottle!" Soekawa hissed under his breath, worried by the dark aura coming from his captain, "You're crushing the water bottle!"

 

Meanwhile, Bokuto was still stuck in his emo mode, and Sayuri decided that there was only one way she could get him out of if. She dragged both hands down his chest until they reached his abs and she began lightly tracing the six-pack under his shirt. “Everyone relies on you to score the most points with your impressive muscles,” Sayuri hummed, "and you're one of the top five aces in the nation."

_...but this kitten's got claws._

So caught up in the girl's act, no one (except her school mates and Kise) expected the sudden change in her demeanor: in the blink of an eye, her sultry smile contorted into a menacing grin and she gripped the boy's shirt, pulling him close until they were nose to nose.

“So stop bothering everyone, especially Keiji- _kun_ , and get. Your. Shit. Together. Ne?"

Not waiting for his response, she released him and calmly walked away without a backward glance; on her way to her seat, she bowed first to the coaches and then to Nekoma as an apology for both her and her ace's interruption of the game. "Sorry for that unsightly display," she grimaced, "Unfortunately, Bokuto is...somewhat emotional and needs a little...cheering up from time to time." Nodding her head towards the still motionless owl, she sighed. "He should be back to his usual self in about 1...2...3—"

“SAYURI- _SAMA_ , I’LL FOLLOW YOU ANYWHERE!” Bokuto shouted as he hopped around “HEY-HEY-HEY”-ing all over the place, and both the girl and Akaashi pinched the bridges of their noses. 

_Is Bokuto-san a masochist?_

Meanwhile, Kuroo got up to replace Kise in order to avoid another commotion; putting a hand on the boy's back, he jerked a thumb towards the bench indicating that the blonde switch with him, giving him a high-five and a grin of respect before he left. Making his way to the net, he caught the attention of the other team's setter, raising his brow. “Ne, ne, is Bokuto a masochist?" he asked, mirroring Akaashi's thought, "Though, I have to admit, even I’d endure any kind of pain if she was the one inflicting it,” the captain added with a shit-eating grin.

Gritting his teeth in irritation – _he really shouldn't be THIS irritated_  – Akaashi turned to Kuroo. “Pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo- _san_ ," he admonshed, sparing a warning glance at the older boy, "please keep those thoughts to yourself. The poor girl does not need perverts like you hanging around her. She already has enough guys around her as is," he added under his breath as he surreptitiously shot daggers at Kise.

Unbeknownst to Akaashi, Kise managed to overhear the entire exchange between the two and he hung his head to hide his grin.

_She's got them wrapped around her finger._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is from Episode 14 of Haikyū!! Second Season "Still Growing"


	6. This is not a Democracy, it's a Cheerocracy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I swear, if you drop me, I'm going to kick your as—"
> 
> "Sayu!"
> 
> "—tonishingly big behind. And quit it with the _yaoi_ hands."
> 
> “Kitten, these _yaoi_ hands would never drop you!”
> 
> ♥♥♥
> 
> UPDATED: August 12, 2018

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To see amazing one-man stunts in action, watch vids of the Daytona Stunt Fest. I've never seen the exact routine I described in this chapter, but I took elements from all the ones I've seen.

A resounding  _thud_ signaled that the last of the match of the day had come to an end. While the losing team completed their punishment of flying receives, the rest of the boys moved to clean up the gym and take down the nets. Sayuri and Kise stood up to help but before they could take a step, Ji-ji put a hand on both of their shoulders and moved to stand in front of them; with a clap of his hands, he immediately reigned in everyone's attention.

"Today was just the start and you'll only grow stronger from here on," he said, his eyes crinkling with pride as he scanned the room.

And he was right. Each and every one of the players in the gym was working hard, their efforts already showing after only a few days. Even Karasuno, the weakest of all the teams, if only in terms of experience, was rapidly evolving at an almost monstrous rate.

"I can't wait to see what you bring to the table in the next couple of weeks," Yasufumi continued and the players bowed their heads in thanks. Stepping aside, he waved a hand at his granddaughter and her friend, his lips splitting into a smirk. "With that said, I'd like to keep that momentum going and hopefully spur you on to continue improving; as you all know, Sayu here is a cheerleader and what better way to encourage you to continue putting in all your effort into the training camps than for her and Ryouta- _kun_  to perform a cheer stunt," the old man declared, chuckling at everyone's bewildered faces.

"WOOHOO!!" Bokuto shouted amongst the cheers from the other Fukurodani students, who were well acquainted with the girl's stunts, "Sayuri- _chan_ is amazing!"

Shaking her head vehemently, Sayuri tried to refuse her grandfather's sudden promise. " _Ji_ - _ji_ , I highly doubt anyone here wants to see me do a cheer stunt!" she argued, embarrassed that she was suddenly put in the spotlight, "Plus Ryouta and I haven't done this in a while so we're sure to mess up!"

"Speak for yourself, babe," Kise snorted, coming up from behind to wrap his arms around the girl's waist and resting his head on hers, much to the displeasure of a few boys, "I never mess up," he promised smugly, "and who wouldn't want to see your beautiful acrobatic skills?" Nodding his head towards the crowd gathering around them, he could barely contain his laughter at the unabashed interest in their eyes; sure, most of them were clueless as to what Nekoma's coach meant, but since his granddaughter was involved, they didn't care what it was. "See?"

As she looked with shock at the eager faces surrounding her, Sayuri's eyes landed on Akaashi, and she silently sent him a panicked signal for help. However, he gave her a sweet smile and nodded his head, encouraging her to show off her talent, and she sighed in defeat.

"Fine," she reluctantly agreed — how could she refuse? — and she untangled herself from Kise's embrace, "I swear, if you drop me, I'm going to kick your as—"

"Sayu!"

"—tonishingly big behind," she finished, ignoring the warning from her grandfather as the volleyball players cleared the court, making room for the girl and her friend. "And quit it with the _yaoi_ hands," she joked, referring to how the blonde was wiggling his fingers.

“Kitten, these _yaoi_ hands would never drop you!” Kise clapped back with a shit-eating grin while he waited for her to loosen her muscles, chuckling when she made a face at his use of her nickname.

After doing a couple of tuck jumps and kicks to warm herself up, she gave the boy a thumbs up. "Ryouta," she shouted, "you ready?"

Running a hand through his hair and striking a pose, Kise's expression morphed into one of mock hurt. "Please, of course I'm ready! Who do you think I am?" he gasped, "Anyway, what are we trying to go for? The usual or something flashy?"

Sayuri knew his confidence wasn't baseless; the two of them had done this many times before ever since Kise had insisted they learn how to do it after watching a video of professional one-man stunts. Having dreamed of doing it, but never getting the chance to since moving to Japan, she agreed and the rest was history — after the many kicks to the face (on Kise's part) and bruises on the butt (on her part), they had managed to lock it down by the end of their second year.

Despite her earlier shyness, Sayuri wanted to leave a good impression on those who had never seen her cheer before; she  _was_  vice-captain and she couldn't let down her squad. Turning to her best friend, she gave him a smug smile. "Go big or go home, baby!" she laughed as she began her approach, not bothering to wait for a response.

A few confident strides were all she needed before flipping from an aerial cartwheel into a back hand spring, finally twisting her body as she did a front walkover into Kise’s waiting hands. Just as they had practiced many times before, he grabbed her waist and lifted her straight up so that she was in an extended handstand. Once stable, the girl gave a quick nod and he threw her into the air, where she flipped over to land in a heel-stretch.

With just the finale left, Sayuri took a deep breath. “Dismount!” she shouted, and the boy launched her with all his strength, shooting her up into the sky. At the peak of the toss, she finished with a straddle split and expertly landed into the cradle that was Kise’s arms.

As he helped her to her feet, the blonde grinned. "See, I told you these _yaoi_  hands wouldn't drop you!"

"Yes, yes," she huffed, slightly winded; adrenaline was pumping through her body as the two of them bowed and, despite all the cheers an applause, all Sayuri could hear was the loud beating of her heart. One-man stunts were always nerve-wracking, but exhilarating — especially with Kise, who she trusted with her life, and that trust allowed them to do some crazy tricks. 

Scanning the crowd, she caught the surprised eyes of Ushijima and she threw up both her hands in victory signs with a blinding smile.

"Ne, ne, Wakatoshi- _kun_ ," Tendou whispered loudly, nudging the ace as he waggled his brows at the girl, "Neko- _chan_  sure is flexible! That was definitely something out of any boy's wet drea—"

His words were cut-off by a quick slap in the back of the head by Ohira. "Don't mind Tendou, Wakatoshi," he grimaced, apologetically, "but that was quite the impressive stunt. Our school's cheer team doesn't have anyone of her level."

Not taking his eyes off the girl, Ushijima lips tightened into a flat line. "Well, Sayu isn't vice-captain as a first-year for nothing. Plus, Fukurodani's cheer team has always gone to nationals, so it's no surprise she is skilled." He was proud of his childhood friend, he really was; like him and volleyball, she strove to do her best and be the best in the sport she loved. However, he didn't like the hungry looks the rest of the boys were giving her and he tried to reign in the menacing aura threatening to escape him.

Meanwhile, Sayuri and Kise were the centers of attention, surrounded by an excited Hinata, Goshiki, and Lev.

“SAYURI- _SAN_ THAT WAS SO COOL! You went  _bam_  and then  _fwoom_  and then you were up in the air like  _woosh_!” Hinata and Lev exclaimed with grand hand gestures, Goshiki nodding his head vigorously in agreement. 

On the sidelines, Bokuto was almost bouncing with enthusiasm. “HEY HEY HEY, isn’t she great?” he hooted proudly, his  ~~feathers~~  hair ruffling in response.

“Bro, that was hot as hell,” Kuroo agreed with a sly grin, earning a pinch in the side from Kenma, "Why haven't you ever told us about her?"

Sidling up to the group, Akaashi frowned. "We obviously didn't want to taint her with your pervertedness, Pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo- _san_ ," he quipped, a little more harsh than he wanted, but he couldn't help but be peeved after hearing the boy call her "hot".

"Rude, Akaashi, I'm not perverted — I'm kind," he pouted, a hand over his chest. Seeing the look of blatant disbelief in the setter's eyes, he sighed. "In any case, she sure is blood-related to Coach. She would have fit right in at Nekoma."

“Her cat-like agility definitely lives up to the Nekomata name," Konoha spoke up, "No wonder everyone calls her the Aristocat – she’s the top Kitten reigning above a parliament of owls."

_She’s definitely more of a Queen if you asked me,_  Akaashi thought, his eyes never leaving the girl surrounded by the bouncing first-years.

Tuning out the barrage of questions, Sayrui turned to Kise and sighed; he was basking in the praise of those around him and knowing him, he wouldn't leave unless she made him — and he really needed to get going. “Ryouta, babe," she said, lightly slapping his butt to get him moving, "why don’t you leave now before you raise every single circle of Hell."

"Yes, your highness," Kise replied as he ruffled her hair playfully, "I'll see you this weekend, ok? Aominecchi, Momoicchi, Midorimacchi, and Kurokocchi said they were free to hang out after you finish your shift, so most of the old gang will be there!" Giving _Ji_ - _ji_ a quick hug, he headed towards the exit, blowing a kiss over his shoulder at the girl on his way out, “Love you, kitten! Call me!”

Sayuri shook her head with a smile, happy that her best friend was still the same after all these years. When the gym doors shut behind him, she turned to see everyone's eyes still on her.

“What's everyone looking at?” she asked with a tilt of her head, her brow furrowed in worry as she subconsciously reached up to touch her face. Glancing at her grandfather, she frowned. " _Ji_ - _ji_ , is there something on my face?"

Beside her, her grandpa chuckled at her oblivion, but remained silent. With a clap of his hands, the players resumed cleaning up the gym, a few of the players still quite distracted by the younger Nekomata's presence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is a quote from the movie, "Bring It On"


	7. Gonna Need Some Ketchup for All Those Harsh-Browns You're Servin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nekomama and the rest of the Teiko tykes banter like old times.

**— "GOM nom nom" group chat —**

From:  **Kis-ass**

_Guess who just saw Sayuricchi and Ji-ji!_

**  
** From:  **Tits-uya**

_Kise-kun, you and I see her almost every week_

**  
** From:  **Ahomine**

_How's the old man doing? Haven't seen him in forever_

 

From:  **Kis-ass**

_He hasn't changed haha_

_Still causing Sayuricchi trouble_

 

From:  **Shittarou**

_I'm sure you were also a part of the problem_

From:  **Nekomama**

_You bet he was_

_I swear, when him & Ji-ji get together, all hell breaks loose_

From:  **Kis-Ass**  

_I'm offended_

(-ω-、)

 

From:  **Ahomine**  

_It's because you're a little shit, Kise_

 

From:  **Kis-Ass**

( ╥ω╥ )

_Not you too, Aominecchi_

 

From:  **Satsukushii**

_Ki-chan, you saw Sayucchin?!_

_Not fair!_

(ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

From:  **Nekomama**

_Sacchan!!!_

♥♥♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)

From:  **Kis-Ass**

_Momocchi, you'll see her this weekend_

_Let's meet at the cafe after her shift and we'll head over to Kurokocchi's place after_

_Maybe we can even snag a couple of Sayuricchi's pastries_

 

From:  **Murasakibaka**

 _I miss_   _Neko-chin's pastries_

(　´_ゝ`）

 

From:  **Satsukushii**

_Mu-kun, that's the first thing you say after not texting us for like a month?_

 

From:  **Nekomama**

_Miss you too, Atsushi_

(_　_|||)

From:  **Shittarou**

_Momoi, it was like a week_

_But Murasakibara, why were you MIA?_

 

From:  **Murasakibaka**

_I broke my phone_

 

From:  **Ahomine**

_Again?!_

From:  **Nekomama**

_You should really stop breaking things when they run out of Umaibo_

_ANYWAY_

_Everyone besides MurisakiBAKA here and Sei can still make it this weekend, right?_

From:  **Tits-uya**

_Yes_

 

From:  **Shittarou**

_I'll be there_

 

From:  **Ahomine**

_Yup. Hopefully you can help me keep Satsuki under control for once_

 

From:  **Satsukushii**

_Tetsu-kun, Dai-chan's being a meanie!_

｡･ﾟﾟ*(>д<)*ﾟﾟ･｡

 

From:  **Ahomine**

_Oi, Satsuki! Why are you still running to Tetsu?_

_What am I, chopped liver?_

From: **Nekomama**  

_LOL_

_You deserved that_

From: **Tits-uya**

_I'll give you a popsicle when we meet, Momoi-san_

 

From:  **Satsukushii**

♡(ŐωŐ人)

 

From:  **Kis-Ass**

_Kurokocchi, you're supposed to be MY boyfriend!_

( `ε´ )

 

From:  **Shittarou**

_Aomine, shouldn't you be nicer to your girlfriend?_

 

From: **Ahomine**

(°ㅂ°╬) 

 

From:  **Nekomama**

_Shintarou, behave_

From:  **Shittarou**

_Hai, hai_

  

From:  **Kis-Ass**

(ಡ艸ಡ)

 

From:  **Murasakibaka**

_Neko-chin's the only person Mido-chin listens to, beside Aka-chin_

_Speaking of which, where's Aka-chin?_

  

From:  **Seibarashi**

_I'm here_

_Sayu, how are you doing? It's been a while_

_Miss you_

From: **Nekomama**

_A while?_

_Sei, we talked like 3 days ago!_

_But I miss you too_

ฅ(*°ω°*ฅ)

  _I'm staying with Ji-ji at his training camp cuz 'kaa-san is gone for a month_  

From:  **Kis-Ass**

_I hung around 4 a bit and u guys should have seen the boys faces!_

(≧艸≦*)

_Sayuricchi's breaking hearts, as usual_

From:  **Nekomama**

_Ryouta..._

From:  **Ahomine**

_Well, Sayuri's always been popular_

_Right, Akashi_?

ಠ‿↼

 

From:  **Murasakibaka**

_It's not like any of Neko-chin's admirers had a chance, with Aka-chin there_

 

From:  **Nekomama**

_Oi! Why are you all ganging up on me?_

(ಥ﹏ಥ)

From:  **Seibarashi**

_Guys, lay off_

 

From:  **Ahomine**

_*cough* WHIPPED *cough*_

 

From:  **Seibarashi**

...

From: **Nekomama**

_Daiki, don't me come over there and kick your ass_

(_　_|||)

_Anyway, I have to go. Gotta help prep dinner_

_I'll talk to you guys later!_  

* * *

"Dai-chan, I'm ready!" Daiki looked up from his phone to see his girlfriend dashing out the door of the cat café she worked at.

"Finally," he said as he took her bag and threw it over his shoulder. "Maybe you should stop getting distracted and finish changing before you stop to text, ne?" Daiki smiled down at the girl wrapped around his arm. "By the way, Satsuki. Who was it that came up with our chat names again?"

"Don't you remember? It was Sayucchin."

"Ah, that explains why everyone but you and Akashi got crappy nicknames."

"Yeah, Midorin was upset that she called him "Shittarou", but Akashi- _kun_ just told him to deal with it," she said with a laugh. "You know how he was. Sayucchin was his main priority."

"You mean  _is_. She's still number one to him."

"Dai- _chan_ , you know they're not together anymore," Satsuki sighed.

"Mmmm."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is from Game Grumps playthrough of Super Mario Galaxy, Part 32
> 
> NOTE: If you were wondering, here are the GOM babies and their group chat name  
> Kis-ass = Kise Ryouta  
> Nekomama = Nekomata Sayuri  
> Tits-uya = Kuroko Tetsuya  
> Ahomine = Aomine Daiki ("Aho" means stupid)  
> Shittarou = Midorima Shintaro  
> Satsukushii = Momoi Satsuki (A play on her name and "Utsukushii", meaning beautiful)  
> Murasakibaka = Murasakibara Atsushi  
> Seibarashi = Akashi Seijuro (A play on his name and "Subarashi", meaning great)


	8. Oh you DON’T? Oh you DON’T have a boyfriend?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "HE'S NOT YOUR BOYFRIEND?!?!" Shirofuku roared, slamming her hands onto the table in front of her as she shot up.
> 
> "No, I'm single."
> 
> * _SCREECHING NOISES_ *
> 
> "Yukie- _senpai_!?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: August 15, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

With an average height of almost 190 cm and weight of about 77 kg, all of it pure muscles, Sayuri thought feeding the Generation of Miracles was hard — but this was another battlefield amongst itself. 

"Yukie- _senpai_ , please stop eating all the food!"

Shrirofuku paused to stare at Suzumeda, her mouth open in preparation of eating the three onigiri in her hands. Without looking away, she slowly brought the food up to her mouth and in the blink of an eye, it was gone with a lick of her lips.

Everyone, save for Shimizu, gaped at the girl in astonishment. "H-how does she ev-ven do th-that?!" Yachi stuttered.

Shaking her head, Suzumeda sighed. "No one really knows," she explained, used to the gluttonous behavior of her senior, "I've watched her do it many times and it's still a mystery to me."

"Alright girls," Shimizu interrupted, grabbing the other third-year's shoulders and directing her towards the kitchen door, "I'll take Yukie- _san_ outside to clean the tables. Do you think you guys can handle things without us?"

" _Hai_!"

With the eating machine gone, the remaining three girls were quickly able to churn out food: _onigiri_ , _karaage_ , steamed vegetables, fried tofu, miso soup, and more, all ready to be devoured by the hordes of teenage boys hungry after a day's worth of practice.

Staring at the feast spread out before her, Sayuri couldn't help but be very impressed by the managers and their cooking abilities — even Shirofuku was quite skilled, once she stopped snacking on all the ingredients. With Momoi being her only other close female friend, and given that the pinkette was a disaster in the kitchen, she had forgotten that some girls were actually good cooks.

"I'll tell Kiyoko- _senpai_ that we're ready," Yachi squeaked when they had finished rolling the last rice ball, already heading out the door, and in a few seconds, returned with the other two managers.

Sensing the hungry gaze coming from Shirofuku, Shimizu subtly stepped in front of the girl to block her view and waved an arm at the platters of food. "Yukie- _san_ will be in charge of the miso soup," she delegated, ignoring the pout the other girl gave her, "and I'll hand out  _onigiri_ and bowls of rice if anyone wants. You girls can choose what you want to serve." Noting the time, she quickly handed plates to all of them. "Ah, the boys will be here soon, so make a plate before they get here and the food is gone!"

Like clockwork, the boys immediately rushed into the cafeteria right as dinner started and they hurriedly lined up with their trays so that the girls could distribute the food. Once everyone had at least one serving, they grabbed their plates and headed towards a table in the far back corner of the room.

Feeling a nudge in her side, Sayuri turned towards her friend. "Thanks for helping out, Sayu- _chan_ ," Suzumeda whispered with a small smile, "I know this isn't the ideal way to spend your summer, but it's nice having you around!"

Sayuri's heart warmed and she gently nudged the girl back, "No problem, Kaori. I would have had to join you guys anyway, since my mom's out of town, so it's great that I get to hang out with you —"

Just as the girls passed by the table were Fukurodani was sitting, Bokuto bolted from his seat and waved his arms in the air. "HEY, HEY, HEY! Sayuri- _chan_ , come sit with us! Yacchan, you too!"

"Thanks for the invite, Bokuto- _san_ ," Sayuri chuckled, amused by the older boy's hyper personality, "but — "

Interrupting her with a loud noise of disapproval, Shirofuku poked her head out from behind the girl and gave the owl a quick once over with narrowed eyes. "Koutarou, sweetie, you're wearing sweatpants. It's _Monday_ ," she sneered in mock disgust, dramatically fanning herself before walking away with a smirk.

Not comprehending, his brows furrowed in confusion. "So...?"

"So..." Suzumeda joined in, a smile creeping on her face as she followed the girl, patting Bokuto's shoulder as she passed, "that's against the rules."

"What rules — !"

"It's against the rules, Bokuto- _san_ , and you can't sit with us," Shimizu finished, brushing her beautiful black hair over her shoulder as she made her way to her seat, with Sayuri and Yachi right behind her.

Baffled by the exchange, Bokuto trailed after the girls like a lost puppy. "Everyone here is wearing sweatpants!" he pouted, coming up from behind to rest his head on Shirofuku's, "Yukie, you're wearing sweatpants too!"

Abruptly, she spun around, causing the boy to jump back in surprise, and she sprang up to put her hands on his shoulders. "You. Can't. Sit. With. Us," she deadpanned, plopping back down without waiting for his response.

Sayuri and Yachi couldn't help but giggle as it was a perfect  _Mean Girls_ moment and the three executed it flawlessly. Turning to the poor boy, Sayuri dipped her head in apology, ignoring Kuroo's hyena laugh in the background. "Sorry, Bokuto- _san_ , it's the rule," she shrugged and he trudged back to his table, dejected. Catching Akaashi's eyes as he tried to console his captain, she gave him a small wave and smile before cupping her hands around her mouth. "Maybe next time, ok?" she called out.

In the wake of the chaos she created, Shirofuku quickly stuffed her mouth with the food she had piled on her plate, and once it had vanished, slammed her hand onto the table in front of her  _kouhai_. "Spill," she said, catching the girl mid-bite, "Who is that sexy piece of hunk that graced us with his presence today?"

Raising a brow at her _senpai_ 's empty plate and then at her own hardly-touched one, Sayuri frowned. "Can't a girl eat before she's interrogated?" she grumbled before putting down the  _onigiri_ she had been holding, "And by "sexy piece of hunk", I'm assuming you mean Ryouta? We went to middle school together."

"Ryouta..." Shirofuku sighed, dreamily, resting her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands, "Give me all the details. What's his full name? What school does he go to? Does he have any hobbies?" Her eyes widened with curiosity as she leaned forward. "Most importantly — does he like to eat?" 

Next to her, Suzumeda nodded her head. "Does he play a sport? It seemed like he doesn't play volleyball, but he's really athletic!"

"And he's taller than Tsukishima- _san_ ," Yachi murmured, her voice shaking, "How tall is he exactly? Is he even our age?!"

Waving her hand at the other two, Shirofuku smirked. "But let's be real, the question we all want to ask is..." She reached over the table to grab the girl's face, pulling her close. "IS HE YOUR BOYFRIEND?!" she asked loudly, garnering the attention of everyone in the room. With perked up ears, tension filled the air as everyone eagerly awaited her answer; even Kenma had paused him game to listen closely.

At first shocked by the onslaught of questions, Sayuri slowly dissolved into a fit of laughter, reaching up to remove herself from the older girl's grip. Of course people would be interested in Kise — he was tall, muscular, and handsome, enough for him to make a living as a model. 

"His full name is Kise Ryouta," she explained while picking at her food, "He's a first year at Kaijo High and is a starting member of their boy's basketball team. Amongst our other friends, he's not the tallest, but he's still quite tall at 189 cm; and of course he eats a lot, how else is he going to fuel that body of his?"

Yachi was slackjawed. "N-not th-the tallest?" she gasped, "I don't know how you do it, Sayuri- _san_! Being surrounded by all those titans!"

Ruffling the girl's hair, Sayuri smiled. "It's not so bad once you get used to it," she reassured her before continuing. "Anyway, Ryouta doesn't really have any hobbies, but he does like singing karaoke — even if he does sound closer to a dying pig than human. Other than that, he does modeling on the side, because why not exploit that infuriatingly handsome face of his?" With only one more question remaining, Sayuri paused to build the suspension; everyone's eyes were on her, filled with curiosity and interest as they waited to hear her answer.

"And no, he's not my boyfriend."

In the split second that followed her confession, silence filled the room. And then —

"HE'S NOT YOUR BOYFRIEND?!?!" Shirofuku roared, slamming her hands onto the table in front of her as she shot up.

_He's not her boyfriend!_

"You guys aren't dating?!" Suzumeda asked, incredulously as Shimizu tilted her head in agreement with the girl, to which she just shook her head in response.

_They aren't dating!!_

Yachi raised her hand in question and cleared her throat, nervously. "Um...are you dating anyone right now, Sayuri- _san_?" she asked, quietly, and everyone held their breath.

A smirk split her lips and, once again, Sayuri shook her head. "No, I'm single."

**_SHE'S. SINGLE._ **

* _SCREECHING NOISES_ *

"Yukie- _senpai_!?!" 

* * *

It took several minutes to calm the older girl down after her outburst and for the room's cacophony to dim to a quiet roar. As they resumed eating, the rest of the girls turned to look at Sayuri with their brows raised while Shirofuku stayed quiet as she continuously shoveled seconds into her mouth, mumbling something about "pretty girl" standards being too high in between bites.

Poking her friend in the cheek, Suzumeda frowned. "I really thought you two were dating," she murmured in disbelief, searching the other girl's eyes for any shred of a lie, "He even has cute nicknames for you!"

Returning the girl's pokes with her own, the two engaged in a poking war until they dissolved into giggles. "You mean how he calls me "Kitten"? Even though I love cats and it's in my name, I'm not really fond of being called "Kitten"; my mom and _Ji_ - _ji_ are the only ones allowed to call me that — Ryouta only does it to piss me off," she pouted, scrunching her nose in displeasure. "He normally calls me "Sayuricchi", which is a mouthful, but he adds the suffix  _-cchi_ to the names of all the people he respects and is close to."

Her explanation wasn't enough to dissuade her friend. "But you guys seem so intimate with each other," Suzumeda pointed out, "It doesn't seem like "just friends" to me!"

"Ah, well Kise is a huge flirt and is pretty touchy-feely with all his close friends," Sayuri explained, shrugging her shoulders, "Guess it's because I grew up in America, but I'm not really bothered by physical touch in general, anyway — as long as I'm close to the person, that is."

No longer distracted by her food, Shirofuku finally spoke up. "Can't believe you've got a prime specimen right next to you and you're not dating," she grumbled, "Is there something wrong with his di — ?"

"If someone as gorgeous as Kise- _san_ was that close to me," Suzumeda quickly interjected, before her  _senpai_ could say anymore, "I'd for sure fall in love with him!"

"You and pretty much every girl at our middle school," Sayuri laughed; and she wasn't kidding — girls would constantly flock to the gym during practice to get a glimpse of the blonde and there were hardly days when he wasn't receiving a love letter. Finishing the last of her food, she shook her head. "In any case, Kise's not my type, nor am I his."

Having tuned out the rest of the girl's sentence, Shirofuku slapped Sayuri on the back in incredulity, hard enough that she had to sputter for air. "How is Kise not your type? Are you _blind_?!"

"I'm not blind, Yukie- _senpai_ ," she coughed, "I can clearly see that Ryouta is handsome. And can you please reign back on the violence?! I can only take so much — "

"THEN WHY WOULDN'T YOU DATE HIM?"

Looking the other girl straight in the eye, Sayuri's challenged the girl to question what she was going to say next. "I don't think Ryouta's boyfriend would appreciate me doing that," she admitted, her lips twitching with concealed amusement as she saw the realization dawn on the other girls' faces.

Yachi choked on the the piece of food she was chewing.

_**— Meanwhile, at Seijoh's Table** **—** _

Hanamaki watched as the girls excitedly chatted amongst themselves, focusing particularly on the girl that had been the center of everyone's attention that day. "Man, I can't believe she's single; she's my definition of the ideal woman," he admitted, with a dreamy sigh. Turning to his best friend next to him, he fluttered his eyes and pursed his lips, making kissy-faces at the boy. "But alas, I am deeply in love with my dear Issei, that I'll have to forgo this fleeting crush." 

"Oh Hiro, you're my hero," Matsukawa fake-swooned, blowing a kiss as he winked at the boy, "But yeah, she's super hot. Her friend's handsome enough that he probably has girls throwing themselves at him, so he must be used to someone with her looks."

Oikawa heaved a deep, dramatic sigh, drawing the attention of the other third-years. "As much as I hate to admit it, Ryo- _chan_ _is_ better looking than me," Oikawa begrudgingly agreed while his fingers danced across his phone's keyboard, pouting as he stared at his screen.

"Anything's prettier than trash!" Hanamaki joked, giving Matsukawa a high-five.

"Rude!"

Ignoring the meme duo's antics, Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend, flicking his forehead gently. "Ryo- _chan_?" he growled, trying, but failing, to hide the tinge of jealousy he felt, "You've never even spoken to the guy! And who are you texting, anyway?"

"Yeah, we're your only friends," Matsukawa teased, dodging a kick from the setter, "and even that's questionable."

The brunette flipped his friend off, who just burst into laughter. "Fuck you, Mattsun," he pouted before kissing his boyfriend on the cheek. "And aww, Iwa- _chan_ , you're jealous! But don't worry, you're still the one I love best."

Embarrassed, the buff ace shoved him away, ducking his head to hide the growing blush on his cheeks. "Crappykawa, don't make me punch you," he threatened, his voice void of any malice.

"Ok, ok!" Oikawa laughed, leaning against his boyfriend's shoulders as he showed the boy his phone as proof. "I traded contact information with him during one of our self-practice breaks. We've been texting ever since he left. Why don't you ever believe me?" 

"It's because only shit comes out of your mouth."

"You know you love me," he sang, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair, "Anyway, I'm not surprised they're not dating — no way would he be interested."

Hanamaki scoffed at his words, doubtful of the idea that the beautiful girl wasn't the blonde's type. "Bullshit. Sayuri's drop dead gorgeous! Why wouldn't he want to date her?"

Nonchalantly examining his nails, Oikawa sighed. "Obviously it's because he likes dick."

Matsukawa spat water into his friend's shocked face. 

.

.

.

"Hold the fuck up. _What_?" Shirofuku sputtered, at the same time, Iwaizumi asked, "Could you repeat that, Bakakawa?"

"Yukie- _senpai_ , —"

"Iwa- _chan_ , —"

" — Kise's gay," Sayuri and Oikawa said calmly.

Shirofuku had her second meltdown of the evening. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is from the MadTV Skit "Can I Have Your Number?"


	9. Close Encounters of the Bathroom Kind (Sayrui's POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Uh...what are you doing in the girls' bathroom?"
> 
> "Actually, this is the boy's bathroom."  
> .  
> .  
> .  
>  _Fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated March 19, 2018. Now that I'm done with this story, I've slowly been going through it from the beginning and fixing things here and there. My writing has greatly developed since the start of the story and I'm basically cringing at my earlier chapters because they sound so unpolished.
> 
> Not gonna lie, I'm also putting off working on Part 2 of this series, which elaborates on Sayuri and Akashi Seijuro's past, because I've hit a wall. I know where I want to go with the story, just not sure on how to get there. 
> 
> Anyway, hopefully you're enjoying this story so far!
> 
> ♥♥♥

_How the fuck did I even get into this situation?!_

It was 6 AM the next morning (an ungodly hour in her opinion), and Sayuri was already in trouble.

The kind of trouble where a girl finds herself stuck in a stall in the men's bathroom with a half-naked Akaashi.

Did she mention he was  _half-naked_?

Sayuri thought back to the past 30 minutes, trying to figure out where things went ~~right~~  wrong. While the managers had succeeded in rousing her up from her deep slumber, the girl was basically useless, having woken up even more disoriented than usual after staying up late to play the game Kenma had lent her. After trying for several minutes to get the girl out of bed, the managers gave up and headed to start making breakfast without her.

A few minutes later, when she had somewhat come to her senses, Sayuri had crawled over to her stuff and grabbed her toiletries. With half-closed eyes, she began brushing her teeth while slowly stumbling her way to the bathroom, dragging herself to the sink when she finally made it. Rinsing her mouth, she splashed cold water on her face and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, too sleep-deprived to notice that she wasn't alone. The icy water chasing the drowsiness away, Sayuri was surprised by a choking noise coming the person next to her. Turning her head, she gasped; next to her was a shirtless Akaashi, his mouth comically hanging open due to shock. 

"H-hello," Sayuri finally managed to say after a few seconds of silence, her mind unable to form a coherent sentence.

"M-morn-ning," Akaashi slowly replied, as if he was still trying to process what was going on. 

"Uh...what are you doing in the girls' bathroom?"

"Actually, this is the boy's bathroom."

Scanning the room, Sayuri finally noticed the urinals in the corner, clearly indicating that she was in fact in the men's restroom.

.

.

.

_Fuck._

_And I_ _'m not even wearing pants!_

"Uh..I...shit...sorr—" Sayuri began, sputtering as her brain effectively shut down. But before she, or Akaashi, could react any further, however, footsteps drew near.

_And it gets worse._

\-----

"Bathroom, bathroom, bathroom, bathroom! The time to pee has come! Bathroom, bathroom…" Hinata sang as he made his way down the hall. True to his name, Karasuno's number 10 rose with the sun, possessing a level of cheerfulness and enthusiasm almost impossible for someone awake at such an early hour. Throwing the door open with a loud  _bang_ , he was met with an empty restroom and he hopped over to one of the urinals.

Unbeknownst to him, he wasn't alone.

In one of the stalls, two people anxiously waited for him to leave. 

With no time to spare, Akaashi had pulled her into the nearest stall, locking it just as the door swung open. Yanking her down into his lap as he quietly sat on the toilet, Akaashi placed a finger to his lips, his eyes wide with panic. _Sorry_ , he mouthed, as one of his large hands moved to grip her waist while the other took a hold of her leg, _Please bear with me_ _until he leaves, ok?_   Peering through the tiny crack between the door, Akaashi's slender fingers drummed anxiously against her calf.

Their bodies so close together, Sayuri wondered if he could hear the thundering beats of her heart; heck, she wouldn't be surprised if even Hinata could hear it. Feeling a little off-balance, she wound her arms around his neck in order to stabilize herself, making the mistake of looking at his bare chest.  _Shit,_ she thought to herself, her face beet red with embarrassment, _I forgot he was shirtless_. While not as buff as Bokuto nor defined as Kise, Akaashi still had the firm muscles of someone who trained for years in a sport. The strength in his lean and trim body was apparent and it made her even more conscious of the fact that he was a man.

_Damn, volleyball has definitely done the boy good._

As if hearing her thoughts, Akaashi glanced curiously at her, bringing their faces close enough that their noses were almost touching; blushing furiously, the two quickly turned their heads away. 

Outside, Hinata went about his business, whistling the entire time; when he was done, he headed over to the sinks to wash his hands and Sayuri held her breath, praying to every deity she knew that the orange-haired boy would quickly leave.

Unfortunately luck was not on her side.

Just when she thought they were in the clear, Hinata spotted Akaashi's things on the ledge above the sink and he spun around to warily survey the seemingly empty restroom. "Hello?" he called out, cautiously, as he one-by-one checked the stalls, "Is anyone in here?" When no one responded, he continued his search, moving closer to the stall Akaashi and Sayuri were hiding in.

With one more to go, Hinata stopped in front of their stall, his hand poised over the knob. Sayuri's eyes widened in fear and her arms tightened around the Akaashi, silently asking him what they should do.

"Uh, wait," Akaashi blurted, causing the boy outside to pause. "Don't open the door," he nervously coughed, both him and Sayuri shaking with anxiety. The two were met with another pause and Sayuri's heart almost burst; silent was not how one would describe the ball of energy that was Hinata Shoyou, and the fact that no words were coming from him worried to her no end.

"Akaashi- _san_? Is that you?" he finally asked.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you say so earlier? I thought a ghost was in here!"

"Sorry..." Sayuri watched as Akaashi bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut, and she could see the gears turning in his head. _How are we going to get out of this one—?_

"I, uh, fell asleep while...pooping," Akaashi said through clenched teeth.

Due to the ridiculousness everything going on, Sayuri thought she had hallucinated the stoic and cool setter of Fukurodani saying that he _fell asleep while pooping_ , but his flushed face and pained expression said otherwise. So absurd, and with the stress of the whole situation crashing down on her, she couldn't help it: she _had_ to laugh.

But with Hinata just outside, she did the only thing she could think of without alerting him to her presence.

She smashed her face into the crook of Akaashi's neck to muffle her laughter.

In response, Akaashi's arms unconsciously wrapped around her and pulled her tight against his chest. Surprised by the sudden movement, a giggle escaped the girl's mouth; however, with her mouth pressed against his skin, it came out as a snort.

_Shit, shit, shit! I'm sure he heard that; there's no way he didn't—_

"Akaashi- _san_ , did you just fart?"

_What._

"...Yes."

_Oh my god_.

Fate was really testing her today.

Sayuri's body shook with laughter and, still focused on not being heard, moved to straddle the boy so that she could cover her mouth with both hands. She felt Akaashi stiffen beneath her, and in that moment she became even more acutely aware of the fact that he was shirtless and that she was pantless.

_Please, don't notice I have no pants on._

_But damn, his skin is soft._

Thankfully, Hinata bought Akaashi's ludicrous explanation and finally moved away from the stall door, his voice trailing behind him as he left. "Oh ok! Enjoy the rest of your poop!"

At the sound of the door closing, the two released the breath they had been holding the entire time, relieved that they had somehow made it through their ordeal.

"Wait," Akaashi cleared his throat, holding her in place when she moved to get up, "Let me check that no one's out there." With Sayuri still clinging to him, he deftly stood up, easily carrying her koala-style. Making sure she didn't fall, he cracked open the door of the stall just enough so that he could stick his head out, looking side-to-side at the empty restroom. When he was sure the coast was clear, he gently placed her on the ground and peered outside to check the hallway.

"Ok, you're good to go," he mumbled beckoning her over; finally finding her feet, Sayuri dashed outside, trying to get as far away as fast as possible before they ran into even more trouble. Just as she was rounding the corner, she turned back to the boy, gave him a quick bow, and then ran off in the direction of the girl's bathroom, her cheeks burning bright red.

_What a way to start the morning_.

* * *

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Embarrassed by the morning's bathroom mishap, Sayuri had tried to avoid the messy-haired boy as much as possible, and it seemed as if Akaashi felt the same. However, she unconsciously found her herself watching the setter throughout practice and would quickly look away when she caught herself staring. 

"Sayu- _chan_ , are you ok? You've been kind of weird all morning," Suzumeda had asked, noticing the slight blush on the girl's cheeks. "Do you have a fever?"

"Ah, I'm, uh, ok!" Sayuri stuttered, he eyes darting everywhere. "It's pretty hot today, don't you think so? Um, I'm going to cool off really quickly," she quietly mumbled and she rushed off towards the water fountains outside, leaving a confused Suzumeda and Shirofuku to ponder her weird behavior.

Turning on the faucet, Sayuri stuck her head under the running water to cool off her burning cheeks. Lost in her thoughts, she barely registered the rush of water coming from the other side of the sinks. When she had more or less calmed herself down, she looked up, finding herself face-to-face with a wide eyed Akaashi, the very person she been actively avoiding all morning. 

_Didn't this happen before_ _?_ she winced, the feelings of embarrassment from earlier that day flooding back into her. And, just as he had done that morning, Hinata skipped by the two, interrupting her thoughts.

"Toilet, toilet, toilet! Who am I? The guy who'll become the ace!" the ginger sang, clearly heading to the bathroom.

When he had left, the two looked at each and burst out laughing. "Holy shit, it's like deja vu!" Sayuri giggled, wiping the corner of her eyes.

"I agree," Akaashi chuckled, his eyes lighting up with amusement, "Why does he keep announging when he goes to the bathroom? And what's with his songs? They make no sense!"

Just as baffled as he was, Sayuri shook her head. "Who knows, but it did save us this morning!" She gave him a sidewards glance and grinned, the tension between them finally disappearing.

"Mmhmm," he hummed, returning her smile and making her heart thump. "Thankfully it was Hinata and not someone else. Bokuto- _san_ would have just barged into the stall, even if I had actually been using it."

Shocked, Sayuri's eyebrows shot up and a hand flew to her mouth. "Has that happened before?!" she asked, incredulously; surely the third-year had some sense of privacy.

She was proved wrong. "Unfortunately yes; more than once."

Laughing even harder, the two headed back to the gym to continue with the morning's practice matches.


	10. Close Encounters of the Bathroom Kind (Akaashi's POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Maybe he didn't notic—_
> 
>  
> 
> "Akaashi- _san_ , did you just fart?"
> 
>  
> 
> _Are you fucking shitting my nuts right now?!_
> 
>  
> 
> "...Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same story as last chapter, but from Akaashi's POV (UPDATED: March 19, 2018)
> 
> *WARNING* Lots of swearing in this! If that makes you uncomfortable, please don't read on.
> 
> ♥♥♥

Akaashi was surprised that his half awake brain could still function.

The girl of his dreams was in his lap, her arms around his neck, and (most importantly)  _she wasn't wearing pants._

His day had started off as usual. Bokuto had somehow rolled all the way across the room and landed himself on top of Konoha and Akaashi. When he couldn't take it any more, he pulled himself out from under the giant owl and made his way to the bathroom. Though he wasn't really a morning person, Akaashi welcomed the peace and quiet that came with waking up early — it was one of those rare moments in the day where Bokuto couldn't bother him. He placed his stuff on the counter and turned on the faucet. Enjoying the silence, Akaashi closed his eyes as he brushed his teeth. Scrubbing his face with water and soap, he heard the restroom door open and the sounds of someone dragging their feet across the floor to the sink next to him. He could hear the person splash water on their face, probably hoping to wake themselves up.

When he was finished washing away the last of the suds on his face, Akaashi turned to his neighbor to see the last person he ever expected to meet in the boy's bathroom.

Next to him, wearing nothing but a large dark blue hoodie, was Sayuri.

Akaashi's mind shut down, and a weird choking sound escaping from his slack-jawed mouth.

Was he still dreaming? Did he die and go to heaven?

He didn't know.

Honestly, he didn't really care.

At the sound, Sayuri's head snapped up to look at him, and he saw her tired eyes widen in shock. A few moments passed before she broke the silence. "H-hello," she finally managed to say, her voice still groggy with sleep.

_Damn, she sounds so sexy when she just wakes up._

"M-morn-ning," Akaashi replied, mentally cringing at the sound of his voice breaking. 

If she heard his voice crack, she didn't acknowledge it. "Uh...what are you doing in the girls' bathroom?" she mumbled, still confused.

"Actually, this is the boy's bathroom."

He watched as she quickly surveyed her surroundings and saw the recognition light up her eyes as she realized she was, indeed, in the men's restroom. "Uh..I...shit...sorr—" she started stuttering, taking a step back towards the door, but before she could move any farther, the sound of footsteps drew near. 

_Fuck._

"Bathroom, bathroom, bathroom, bathroom! The time to pee has come! Bathroom, bathroom…" Hinata sang, just outside the door.

_Fuck._

_Fuck._

_FUCK._

Grabbing her free hand, Akaashi pulled Sayuri into the nearest stall, locking the door just as Hinata entered the restroom. Sitting on the toilet, he yanked her down into his lap and placed a finger to his lips. Akaashi's body was shaking from the adrenaline coursing through him and he needed to grab onto to something to calm him down — the closest thing to him just happened to be the body of a beautiful girl.  _Sorry_ , he mouthed, as one of his large hands moved to grip her waist while the other took a hold of her leg,  _Please bear with me_ _until he leaves, ok_? 

In response, she locked her arms around his neck and his heart threatened to burst out of his chest as the hem of her hoodie crept dangerously higher up her thigh. Looking away, Akaashi peered through the tiny crack between the door as his fingers drummed against the girl, a habit of his whenever he was nervous. 

And how could he not be?

The girl he had been crushing on, ever since she first walked in to the gym and got hit in the face, was now in his lap. 

_Did he mention she didn't have pants?_

The position they were in made him acutely aware of the fact, and his whole body was on fire; he could feel the silkiness of her hair brushing against his chest, the suppleness of her curves pressing against his stomach and legs, the softness of his skin teasing the nape of his neck. His imagination running wild, it wasn't hard for him to picture that she was wearing _his_ sweater after spending the night together.

His head spun at the thought as the blood rushed to his crotch.

_NO. STOP. _Don't you fucking dare_. Do NOT get a boner._

Quietly breathing in and out, Akaashi willed himself to calm down before the girl noticed while outside, Hinata was finished with his business and washing his hands. Just when he thought they were in the clear, the boy spotted Akaashi's things on the ledge above the sink and he spun around to warily survey the seemingly empty restroom. "Hello?" the ginger called out, cautiously, as he one-by-one checked the stalls, "Is anyone in here?" When no one responded, he continued his search, moving closer to the stall Akaashi and Sayuri were hiding in.

_We're fucked, we're FUCKED, WE'RE FUCKED,_  Akaashi screamed in his head.

Met with silence, Hinata moved closer to the stall they were in. Akaashi felt Sayuri's arms tighten around his neck, and he looked down to see her face just centimeters away from his, the panic apparent in her eyes.

"Uh, wait," Akaashi blurted, stopping Hinata in his tracks just as he grabbed the knob. "Don't open the door," he nervously coughed, both him and Sayuri shaking with anxiety at the thought of being caught in such a difficult position.

"Akaashi- _san_? Is that you?" the ginger asked, and Akaashi could almost see the confused look on his face.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you say so earlier? I thought a ghost was in here!"

"Sorry..." Akaashi said as he bit his lip. He squeezed his eyes shut, his mind racing. There was only one excuse he could think of and Akaashi sighed. "I, uh, fell asleep while...pooping," he said through clenched teeth.

_Bullshit._

_Fucking Bullshit._

_Kill me now. PLEASE._

As he expected, the girl in his arms was dying to laugh and Akaashi could feel her body shaking from trying to keep it in. He wasn't, however, expecting her to snuggle into the crook of his neck in order to muffle her laughter. Unconciously, Akaashi's arms wrapped around her and he pulled her tight against his chest, the sudden movement causing her to snort. At the sound, everyone froze.

_Maybe he didn't notic—_

"Akaashi- _san_ , did you just fart?"

_Are you fucking shitting my nuts right now?!_

"...Yes."

_Well, that's it. I am dead._

The gods were really testing him today.

~~Best~~ Worst of all, Sayuri had deftly moved to straddle him so that she could cover her mouth with both hands. Akaashi stiffened at the sudden movement, and he once again had to calm himself down; for some reason, he decided that shoving his face into her soft hair while his hands clenched the fabric of her hoodie was the way to do it.

Not really a great idea on his part, as the smell of her hair just exacerbated the problem. She smelled like sunshine, a floral and fruity scent; it suited her perfectly.

Pulling him from his thoughts, Hinata laughed, thankfully buying Akaashi's sorry excuse of an explanation. "Oh ok! Enjoy the rest of your poop!" he chirped, already making his way out of the restroom.

The sound of the door closing broke Akaashi out of his trance and in his arms, he could feel Sayuri move to stand up. "Wait," Akaashi coughed, holding her in place, more because he didn't want to let her go rather than out of caution. "Let me check that no one's there." With her body clinging to his, Akaashi stood up, carrying her koala-style. Her body pressing against his was already distracting but he was more focused on the fact that the hem of her hoodie had moved up even further; it took every ounce of power within to restrain himself from "accidentally" moving his hands down to her butt.

Cracking the door of the stall just so that his head could fit, he scanned around the restroom for any signs of life. When he was sure the coast was clear, he gently placed her on the ground and peered outside to check the hallway. "Ok, coast is clear," he said as he waved her over, getting out of the way so she could bolt out the door and down the hallway. Just as she rounded the corner, he watched as the girl turned back to him, gave a quick bow, and then ran off in the direction of the girl's bathroom.

Going back inside to collect his things, Akaashi slumped against the wall, sliding down until he was crouched on the ground. Covering his face with his hands, he could feel the warmth of his burning cheeks.

_What a way to start the morning_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the idea that Akaashi has this insane inner monologue going on. It's like he's a complete potty-mouth in his mind but his filter is so good, none of his rage comes out.


	11. I Got 99 Problems and They're All Sore Muscles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> According to Sayuri, running is easy. 
> 
> "It's easier than riding a bike!" she said.
> 
> But to Kenma, the bike is on fire and he's on fire and everything is on fire and he's in hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: March 27, 2018

After lunch the next day, the schools split up to do strength training and conditioning. Karasuno and Nekoma were outside on the track, Shiratorizawa was lifting in Fukurodani's weight room, and the other two teams were practicing on the courts. With everyone scattered, the managers had some free time, so Sayuri decided to get in a workout of her own. 

Changing into her practice gear, she donned a pair of black and gold spandex, a matching tank-top, her Fukurodani jacket, and her trainers. With her cheer shoes in hand, she headed out to the track to warm-up where she spotted Karasuno and Nekoma in the middle of their warm-up.

"Hey guys!" Sayuri shouted, waving her hands above her head as she jogged over to the group of boys, receiving a chorus of greetings in response.

"Oya, oya?" Kuroo slyly grinned, cocking his head to side as he looked at the girl's outfit. "What brings you out here, Neko- _chan_? Are you practicing with us?"

Ignoring his question, she began doing some light stretches, beginning with a forward fold. "Hello to you too, Pain-In-The-Ass-Kuroo- _san_ ," she snorted snarkily, much to the amusement of Kenma standing next to him.

"Oi. You've been hanging out with Akaashi too much."

Sayuri giggled at the uncharacteristic pout on the feline's face as she moved on to a side lunge stretch. "If you must know, I'm just here to warm up before I practice some of my jumps and flips. Hope I won't be bothering you guys?" she asked, throwing a nervous glance at the Karasuno parents, who were recording everyone's times.

"No worries!" Suga replied, flashing an angelic smile, "The more the merrier!"

Coming up from behind, Kai Nobuyuki, Nekoma's vice-captain, nodded his head in agreement. "We're almost done with our warm-up sprints," he explained, his voice gentle and calming, "but we're planning on doing a timed mile trial right after. How about joining us for that?"

"Great!" the noirette beamed, clapping her hands together in excitement. "Let me do a little bit more stretching while you guys finish up. Just let me know when you're ready!"

Making her way to a small patch of grass off the track, she went through the motions of her usual stretching routine, working out the knots and kinks in her muscles. From standing to sitting, she worked her way down until she was in a straddle split, before moving on to more dynamic stretches.

Meanwhile, on the track, the boys were definitely distracted; they couldn't help but stare at the beautiful girl showing off her long legs and easily contorting her body into positions they thought almost impossible. At one particular moment, when Sayuri had gone from a back walkover into a handstand split, Yamaguchi had stumbled over his own feet and went flying face first into the ground. Right behind him, Ennoshita was unable to react fast enough and tripped over the fallen boy, colliding into Kinnoshita next to him and landing into a in a heap of tangled limbs. On the sidelines, Suga and Yaku were busy dealing with a combusted Yamamoto while Kuroo cackled on.

Shocked by the commotion, Sayuri quickly jogged over with a worried look on her face, turning to Karasuno's captain for an explanation. Shaking his head, Daichi just sighed in defeat. "Don't worry about them, they're not hurt — just stupid," he reassured her, throwing a final exasperated look at his  _kouhai_  before turning to his vice-captain, "Anyway, maybe this is a sign that we should move on?"

Nodding in response, Suga left Yamamoto to an annoyed Yaku to check on his children. Looking back at Sayuri, Daichi gave her a gentle smile. "You ready?" he asked, as the two made their way towards the others.

"Yeah, let's go!"

Everyone gathered around Daichi as he explained the timed trials. "Ok everyone, we're going to get into groups of 5, one group of 6, based on our splits. If you're group isn't the one being timed, don't just laze about — jog around the perimeter of the field to keep your muscles moving." Picking up a clipboard and a stopwatch, Daichi listed the names and their respective groups. "First up is Kenma, Yamaguchi, Yamamoto, Chikara, and Asahi. Second group will be Tanaka, Tsukishima, Suga, Narita, and me. Third group is Yaku, Lev, Shibayama, Kinnoshita, Fukunaga, and Kai. Last will be Hinata, Nishinoya, Inouka, Kageyama, and Kuroo. Everyone got that?" he asked, looking up to see them all nod in agreement.

"What about Sayuri?" Kenma asked quietly, silently coming up to stand next to the girl.

"Thanks for the game!" she whispered, nudging the him lightly, "I stayed up all night playing it!" He only nodded in response, eyes slanting down to look at the ground, but the small smile on his face didn't escape the girl and she giggled softly at his shyness.

"Ah, that's right," Daichi said, scratching his head as the others looked curiously at the girl. "Sayuri, which group do you want to be a part of?" Before she could answer, the crow quickly backpedaled. "Actually, a better question would be are you a fast runner?"

Sayuri tapped her chin in thought; it had been a while since she had timed her mile but she figured that it couldn't have changed in the past few months. "My average is more-or-less around the five minute mark," she answered, basing the stat off her school's most recent marathon run.

A few gasps could be heard throughout the group, something Sayuri was used to since she was usually quite fast, but if the Karasuno captain was shocked, he didn't show it. "Hmm...," he hummed, nodding his head, "Got it. Guess I'll put you with the last group, then."

"Yay! Sayuri- _san_ , you're running with us!" Hinata and Inuoka excitedly shouted, the two brimming with energy. _I bet all that energy is what makes them incredibly fast_ , she thought with a smile as they continued to bounce around.

Glancing up at the boy next to her, she saw an annoyed Kenma, his lips turned down. "Kenma, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice dripping with worry. Reaching out a hand, she gingerly tugged on his shirt. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm not hurt," he reassured her, "but I'm about to be." Seeing the confused look on her face, the frown on his face deepened. "I don't want to run a mile, I'm exhausted!" he moaned.

Sayuri laughed at his little tantrum, making him blush with embarrassment. "You'll be ok," she reassured him with a light pat on the back, "it'll be over before you know it. Running is easier than riding a bike!" Behind them, the rest of the first group was lining up and she quickly ushered the boy towards them. "Join me when you're done so we can jog together, ok?"

When he nodded in agreement, she started jogging around the field, throwing one final smile before picking up the pace to join the others.

Kenma watched her retreating figure and sighed; he was not happy about this, not at all. Not only did he hate running in general, but he now had to do it in front of a girl — to make matters worse, it was someone as beautiful and athletic as Sayuri.

He was about to make a fool of himself. 

* * *

Kenma was not ok.

He most definitely was dying, he was sure of it.

It was the last stretch of his mile, and the poor boy was wheezing and panting, unable to draw a proper breath. Knowing that Kuroo and Yamamoto wouldn't let him live it down if he gave up, he pushed himself to cross the finish line, bringing up the rear of his group and coming up just behind Ennoshita; the moment Daichi called out his time, the setter immediately collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion.

"Kenma?!" Sayuri cried as she and the rest of the Nekoma team rushed over to him. "Are you alright?" she asked with concern, squatting down in front of the boy as her eyes frantically scanned his face for any sign of pain; the boy was sweating profusely, his hair matted to his forehead, and his face was beat red. 

"I'm," _huff_ , "al-", _huff_ , "-right" he spat out between breaths, taking Kuroo's outstretched hand and using his best friend as support when he got up. "Just,"  _huff_ , "give me,"  _huff_ , "a second," he finished, bent over as he attempted to slow down his labored breathing. When he somewhat regained his composure and could stand up without help, he glanced at both Kuroo and Sayuri and gave them a weak nod. "I'm fine now."

Unconvinced, Kuroo threw the setter over his shoulder, ignoring the boy's feeble protests. "I'm gonna bring him to the side so he can sit down," he told the others, already walking towards the sidelines, "You guys continue with the trials; I can take it from here."

Raising his brow, Daichi only nodded and with his turn to run, he handed the stopwatch and clipboard over to Yaku. "Ok, second group, line up!" he shouted.

While the others resumed running, Kuroo gently placed Kenma onto the ground and plopped down next to him, lying back onto to grass and stretching his body with a soft groan. "How ya feeling, Kenma?" the bedheaded captain asked with a yawn, his arms crossing behind his head.

"I told you, I'm fine," Kenma insisted, pulling his legs into his chest and resting his chin on his knees, "You didn't have to come with me. I can rest on my own." Ignoring the skeptical snort from his best friend, his golden eyes wandered over to Sayuri, who was keeping pace with Yamaguchi as they chatted about something.

Kuroo followed his gaze and laughed, making the boy blush furiously. "Jealous?" he smirked with the ever present shit-eating grin on his face. When the setter didn't even bother sparing a glance, continuing to look at the girl who was now laughing at something Hinata had said, Kuroo grinned even wider. "Oi, if you keep staring, she'll think you're creepy," he goaded, trying to rile up the boy.

"Shut up, Kuroo," Kenma scoffed, finally responding, "You're the creepy one, not me. I mean your stupid hair just _screams_ creepy."

Dramatically, the third-year threw a hand over his chest and gasped. "Excuse me?! I'll have you know that all the girls love my hair — they think it makes me look sexy," he retorted, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"You're lying. There's no way people find that _sexy_."

"Am not."

"Are too."

Kuroo paused. "Not."

"Liar."

" _Tch_ ," the middle-blocker spat, pushing himself up and narrowing his eyes at his friend. "Seeing as how you can argue with me, you must be completely fine." Standing up, Kuroo dusted the dirt and grass off his clothes before holding out a hand to the younger boy. "I'm going to join everyone. Are you coming?"

Kenma only raised a brow, silently answering Kuroo's question. "Suit yourself," his friend sighed, running off to join the others. He watched as the boy's lanky legs quickly caught up with the group, joining them just as the second group finished the first half of their mile. Much to his dismay, Kuroo was now running side-by-side with Sayuri and judging from the few glances they sent his way, Kenma figured they were talking about him. His eyes squinted tensely; knowing Kuroo, he was planning something.

Just as he expected, Sayuri left the group and jogged towards him; behind her, Kuroo gave Kenma two thumbs up before picking up his pace, his ugly cackle heard from across the field. As Sayuri came closer, panic within Kenma grew — just what did that good-for-nothing feline tell her?

"Hey Kenma, how are you doing?" she asked the moment she reached him, the concern apparent in her voice.

Too nervous to say anything, Kenma just glanced up at her and gave her a quick jerk of his head, internally cursing himself at how stupid he must look.

Relieved to see that he had recovered, she took a seat beside him and stretched her legs out in front of her. The two slipped into a comfortable silence, watching as Hinata and Inuoka jumped around excitedly to whatever song they happened to be singing.

"Shouyou always has so much energy, and so does Sou," Kenma finally spoke, "I'm getting tired just looking at them." He surprised at how natural it felt being with her. Normally people would find his quiet demeanor awkward and would always fill the air with inane chatter before giving up and talking to someone else; there was rarely ever someone, beside Kuroo, who immediately accepted the silence and went with it.

"Well, Shouyou definitely is a ball of sunshine and Sou always looks like a cute puppy," Sayuri giggled in agreement, her eyes shining, "their names suit them perfectly."

_Cute_ , he thought, blushing at the sound of her laugh: it was a soft and feminine sound that tickled his ears.

Mistaking his reddening face as a sign of a heat stroke, a concerned Sayuri gingerly pressed a hand to his forehead, comparing his temperature to hers. "Oh no, are you feeling sick again?" she murmured, "Here, you should lie down. You can use my legs a pillow."

Shocked at her offer and with no strength left in him, Kenma could hardly refuse as she gently guided his head onto her legs.

"Uhh, uhm," Kenma sputtered, bringing his hands up to hide his face, "It's ok, I can just lie on the ground," _and die_ , he added in his head.

Ignoring his protests Sayuri began running her fingers through his hair, humming a nondescript tune as the third group broke off from the rest of the pack and headed over to the starting line, replacing the second group who had just finished.

Kenma couldn't believe the situation he was in: his head was resting on soft legs while long, slim fingers gently grazed his scalp as they untangled his hair, all the while, the sound of Sayuri's voice threatened to lull him to sleep

A satisfied purr slipped from his lips before he could stop it.

"You're just like a cat!" she giggled, leaning forward to look down at him with a smile. Stray tendrils of black hair framed her face, and with her head block out the sun, Kenma got an unobstructed look at her delicate features.

He had never seen anything so beautiful.

Just then, the third group finished their mile and a loud (more like obnoxious) whistle from Kuroo alerted them of the final group's turn. Gently, she helped Kenma into a seated position so that she could stand, brushing the dirt from her legs. "Can you hang on to my jacket?" she asked, slipping it off and handing it to him when he nodded, before heading off to join Kuroo and the others at the starting line.

"3, 2, 1, GO!"

Hinata and Nishinoya, though small, made up for their lack in height with speed, and they both set off at a break-neck pace; however, Inouka was able to keep up with them, something he did on the court as well, due to him being one of Nekoma's most agile and nimble players. Not far behind was Kageyama, who's stern expression was even more scarier than usual as he concentrated on catching up with his ginger-haired partner. Bringing up the rear was Kuroo, who, while not nearly as fast as his _kouhai_ , was still quick on his feet thanks to his long legs.

Unsurprisingly, however, all eyes were on Sayuri, who easily matched the rest of the group's stride without so much as breaking a sweat. The other boys, most of them not even bothering to continue jogging, watched on the sidelines in amazement as she ran at what they considered an all-out sprint, and yet still had the breath to talk with Nishinoya next to her; soon the group reached the third lap of their mile, and while a bit of sweat had gathered on her forehead and they all had long since stopped talking to each other, the girl's gait remained steady and her breath only slightly labored.

Kuroo, on the other hand, was having a hard time keeping up as is and yet she made it look so effortless.  _Is she some kind of monster_? he wondered, annoyed at how pathetic he must look compared to his  _kouhai_ ,  _Scratch that, they're all monsters — especially chibi-chan._

Meanwhile, Kenma's gaze never left Sayuri as she made her way around the track, her black hair trailing behind her and a large grin on her face, so bright that it was as if she was glowing from the inside out. The sight of her  ~~in tight-fitting work out clothes~~ lit up face enthralled him and it was impossible for him to look away.

Seeing that the last group was about to finish, Kenma headed over to the finish line, Sayuri's jacket clutched tightly in his grasp.

"4:59" Hinata crossed the finish line first, his small body still brimming with energy.

"5:03" Closely behind him was Kageyama, a grimace on his face because he had lost to Hinata by a few seconds.

"5:05" As expected, Nishinoya finished his mile with a loud  _Rolling Thunder!_ before hopping over to Tanaka and exchanging high-fives.

"5:08" Like a puppy being taken out for his first walk, Inuoka was laughing and smiling as he crossed the finish line just behind the libero.

"5:21" Neck-and-neck, Sayuri and Kuroo finished at the same time, though in vastly different ways; while Sayuri was all beauty and grace, almost dancing across the finish line, Kuroo was a hot mess.

"These monstrous youngsters are going to be the death of me," he gasped as he tried to catch his breath, bent over at the waist with his hands on his knees. Beside him, Kai gave a hearty laugh, handing him a water bottle and patting him on the back.

Clapping his hands together as everyone gathered around him, Suga's cheerful smile turned slightly sinister. "Great job everybody! We've got some time before we head over to the weight room so let's do some conditioning drills!"

A collective groan ran through the group and Kenma felt himself die on the inside.

\-----

"Kenma? Could you help me stretch?"

While the boys had practiced jumping and quick sprints, Sayuri had gone off on her own to work on her jumps and flips, even practicing the new routine she and her captain had been choreographing for an upcoming pep rally. After running through the routine enough times until she was confident of the moves, she began cooling down before joining Nekoma in their stretches. The boys had finished around the same time, and while Karasuno quickly cooled down before heading off to the weight room, Nekoma took their time, as the courts were still occupied.

At the girl's request, Kuroo let out a low whistle, nudging his friend roughly towards the girl and leaving him no reason to refuse her request.

Kenma gulped, nervously as he kneeled behind her; with her legs spread out on either side of her and her arms out in front, he placed his hands on her back and pushed down until the girl's chest was almost flush to the ground. 

"Ah, just a bit further please," Sayuri murmured, breathily, her voice sending shivers down all the boys' spines.

At this point, Kenma was pressing down using his forearms, his chest close to her back and his face buried in her hair. _How the hell was she so flexible?_  Sure, he and his teammates were pretty pliable, but this girl was something else.

He was glad that she was facing away from him so that she couldn't see his face flush, but that didn't it was invisible to everyone else. Across from them, Kuroo covered his mouth, trying to stifle his snickering, but failing miserably. At the sound, Sayuri glanced up at the cat captain with an raised brow and slightly annoyed expression. "Is something the matter, Kuroo- _san_? What's so funny?"

"Oh ho, ho," he chortled, "Nothing's the matter, dear Neko- _chan_. Kenma just looks like he's having so much fun that I had to laugh."

Behind her, Kenma flipped off his best friend.


	12. It's All Fun and Games Until the Roach Flies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Neko- _chan_ , you wouldn't _dare_."
> 
> " _Fucking watch me._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know roaches aren't a huge deal to some, but I am EXTREMELY afraid and will basically curl up into a ball and cry if one came near me (have done so on multiple occasions). Where I'm from, we have these HUGE af roaches, which are appropriately nicknamed B-52 cockroaches, and I've left a friend's house right then and there because I didn't want to be near it.
> 
> I hate them with a passion.
> 
> UPDATED: August 6, 2018

It was a calm night, the air warm from the summer heat, and Sayuri felt a sense of peace as she walked through the halls of her school on her way back from the baths. She and the other managers had spent a little too much time in the water, but it was well-deserved downtime after chaperoning a bunch of teenage volleyball dorks for the past couple of days.

She sighed.  _How do these girls do it?_

Calling the job of a manager tiring didn't do it justice, and while she was happy that the weekend meant sleeping in in her own bed again, it was bittersweet that the Fukurodani practices were coming to an end; as much as she hated to admit it, she was going to miss the rambunctious lot. She had grown used to their constant presence, and it would be somewhat lonely without all of them, even if it was only for a few days.

Turning the corner, she made her way down the corridor where Shiratorizawa's sleeping quarters were, only to suddenly hear a loud shout followed by a _thud_  coming from their room.

"GOSHIKI, EAT SHIT!"

Recognizing the voice of their second-year setter and concerned for the first-year, Sayuri rushed over and knocked on the door. "Umm...," she asked, hesitantly, when no one responded immediately, "Toshi- _kun_? Are you guys ok?"

A few shuffling noises and muffled grunts were heard before the door slid open. "Sayu? What are you doing here?" Ushijima grimaced; when he noticed her flushed cheeks and wet hair, he coughed quietly, turning his head. "Don't worry, we're fine; Shirabu, Semi, Tendou, Kawanishi, and Goshiki were playing a card game," he mumbled, nodding towards the mess inside: peering around the giant, Sayuri saw Semi collecting cards that had been strewn across the floor while Tendou snickered at Goshiki, who was caught in a headlock by Shirabu.

Relieved that no one was hurt, though she wasn't quite sure about Goshiki, Sayuri giggled, catching the attention of the other boys.

Caught off guard, Shirabu loosened his grip on his  _kouhai_ and the younger boy sprang up to attention. "Sayuri- _sama_! Hello!" he greeted, with a 90-degree bow as the others murmured their greetings as well.

"Hey guys!" she laughed, flashing them a bright smile, "Sounded like you guys were having fun so I stopped by after taking a bath. What card game are you guys playing?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Neko- _chan_! Come play with us! We're playing Uno," Tendou explained, waving the girl over, "I'm sure no one would mind you joining us!" Next to him, Goshiki excitedly nodded head in agreement.

Taking a step forward, her path was blocked by Ushijima. "No, you can't," he said, curtly, "You should head back or your grandfather will get mad." 

It was a valid excuse; anyone would be upset if their granddaughter was walking around at night alone, especially one as friendly and trusting as her. But Ushijima knew that a ~~large~~  small part of him was frustrated that she was being careless, not the slightest bit fazed about walking into a room full of teenage boys, and he worried what kind of trouble she could get into when he wasn't around. And while he could trust his teammates and (maybe) himself, he couldn't say the same about everyone else.

Cocking her head as she crossed her arms, Sayuri pouted. "Oh, come on, Toshi- _kun_. Ji-ji won't get mad if he doesn't know!" When her childhood friend stood his ground, she looked to the other boys for help. "Right, you guys won't tell on me?"

"Nope! My lips are sealed!" Goshiki promised, slapping both his hands over his mouth to emphasize his point.

At the back of the room, Ohira laughed. "Come on, Wakatoshi, it'll be fine," he assured his captain, "Jin and I will punish these rascals if they misbehave." Next to him, Soekawa rolled up the sport's magazine he had been looking at and teasingly slapped his hand.

Chuckling at how playful the group was despite their intimidating aura on the court, Sayuri turned back to Ushijima, giving him her best puppy-dog look. "Toshi- _kun_?" she murmured as she fluttered her lashes, hoping to get the boy to concede.

A pause.

"I really want to play," she pleaded, trembling her lips.

His eye twitched.

"Please?"

 _Bingo_.

Closing his eyes in defeat, Ushijima sighed — he was no match for the girl. "Alright, come in," he said, grudgingly, much to the delight of the girl, who pulled him against her into a crushing hug before rushing inside to join the rest of Shiratorizawa's team. Following her, he plopped down in the space next to her, a frown etched on his face.

The younger boys looked at each other in confusion: their captain never joined them in games that didn't involve volleyball. But judging by the third-years' knowing smiles and quick glances at the girl, they understood the reason behind their ace's weird behavior. As usual, Tendou couldn't help but tease his friend and gave Ushijima a sly grin. "Olololo? Wakatoshi, are you playing too?" he sang, earning a glare from the boy.

Clueless to it all, Sayuri pulled her long hair into a ponytail with a smirk.

"Let's get this party started."

* * *

"TAICHI, WHAT THE FUCK. How the FUCK do you keep getting all the **Wild Draw 4** cards?!"

For the third time in the game, Kawanishi had placed down the action card, forcing Semi to draw four cards and forfeit his turn. He was unbelievably lucky at drawing the good action cards meanwhile infuriating his _senpai_ , who was on the receiving end of them.

Though the game had started off calm, it didn't take long for things to escalate quickly and by game four, it was complete chaos. There were curses and screaming — a  _whole_ lot of it actually.

"COME AT ME, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! I'LL FUCKING STAB YOU!" Shirabu yelled, lunging at Tendou, only to be barely held back by an annoyed Sayuri.

Normally, he appeared to be serious and composed, but she quickly found out how hot-headed he could be. "Shirabu, no!" she cried struggling to keep him away from the annoying third-year, who was adding fuel to the already blazing fire.

"♪ _What is it that breaks with a crickety-crack? ♪_ " Tendou sang, dancing in his seat, " _♪ Your heart of course! ♪_ " 

He was driving her  _insane_.

Wearing away at the small bit of patience she had left, Sayuri narrowed her eyes at the older boy. "Tendou, shut your fucking mouth or I'll do it for you," she threatened, grunting when Shirabu tried escaping her grip; thankfully, Ushijima lent her a hand, pulling the setter back by the collar of his shirt until he flopped back into his seat.

"Neko- _chan_ , you wouldn't _dare_!" the redhead drawled as he blew her a kiss, not taking her threat seriously.

" _Fucking watch me._ "

Amongst the ruckus, Ushijima sat quietly. Forgotten by his overly competitive teammates and childhood friend, he placed his last two cards onto the discard pile. "I won," he said, his deep voice cutting through the shouts. Everyone froze, with only their eyes moving to look between the boy and his cards, as they registered what had happened before the room exploded with even more shouts than before.

"No way, Wakatoshi won?!?!" Tendou whined, tugging on his bright red hair, "Who the fuck came up with the rule that we could double down?!"

Across from him, Semi glared with narrowed eyes. "That was you, Satori," he grumbled, throwing down his own cards in defeat.

"Oh."

Meanwhile, Goshiki was staring at his captain with fire burning in his eyes. "I WILL BE THE ACE OF THIS GAME ONE DAY, USHIJIMA- _SAN_!" he proclaimed proudly, thumping his fist against his chest.

Sayuri burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.  _Of course_ Ushijima won; he rarely lost at anything. "Goshiki, sweetie, there is no ace in Uno," she sputtered, trying to reign in her giggles before turning to her childhood friend. Though fleeting, she caught a small smile on his face and knew he was quite pleased with his victory, no matter how small or trivial.

But it was the small things with Ushijima; his normally stoic demeanor made the smallest signs of emotion just that more important.

Leaning against, Sayuri looked up at him and gave him a fond smile, to which he patted her head in response. "Congratulations, Toshi- _kun_ ," she murmured softly, feeling content as she closed her eyes and snuggled further into his side.

However, that peace was broken when all of a sudden, she felt something flutter onto her forehead and the room grew quiet.

After all the shouts and screams, Sayuri instantly became wary of the sudden silence that had overcome the once noisy group. She slowly opened her eyes to see all of them looking at her in barely concealed panic and her heart dropped. "Guys, you're scaring me," she said, "What's the matter?"

"Uh, Sayuri?" Semi whispered so as not to upset the girl, his eyes glued to her forehead as reach out to her, "Now don't panic, but there's a roach. Just sit still and I'll get it off..."

She didn't listen.

Letting out a guttural scream, Sayuri burst into tears, waving her arms in hopes of scaring away the creature. "Get it off! GET IT THE FUCK OFF!" she blubbered at the others, who were too shocked by her outburst to say or do anything.

Unfortunately, her erratic movements only resulted in the roach flying around the room, sending everyone into a frenzy.

Trying to find a safe haven away from her worst fear, Sayuri threw herself into Ushijima's lap, climbing into his jacket and zipping it all the way up. Caught up in the girl's hysterics or just frightened as well, Goshiki hurled himself under a nearby desk at the same time Shirabu and Kawanishi dove under the closest futon. Meanwhile, Semi, along with Soekawa and Ohira, rolled up their magazines and attempted to get rid of the roach.

After a few moments of madness, the third-years managed to shoo it out the window, with no help from Tendou, who was too amused by his _kouhai_  and just standing around,clutching his sides as he laughed.

Closing the window, Soekawa sighed. "It's gone, guys. You can come out now."

"Are you sure?" Sayuri choked, zipping down Ushijima's jacket enough so that only an eye peeked out, "Are you  _sure_?!"

"I promise," Ohira reassured her, "It went out the window." When she still didn't move, he looked expectantly at his friend, asking with his eyes for help.

Nodding, Ushijima began patting the girl's back in hopes of calming her down. "Sayu, the roach is gone, ok?" he told her gently, unzipping the jacket all the way so that she could lean back and look straight at him.

Seeing the truth in his eyes, she climbed out, albeit still wary. She stuck close to Ushijima in case another roach appeared, and hugged his arm tightly before turning to the others and giving them apologetic looks. "Uhh, sorry for...causing such a scene," she murmured as she swiped a hand across her face to get rid of any lingering tears, "I'm extremely afraid of roaches, especially the ones that can fly." A shudder ripped through her at the thought and she grimaced. "Always have been since I was a kid."

Goshiki shook his head in understanding. "Don't worry, Sayuri-sama. I get it; I completely get it," Goshiki agreed, crawling back to the group.

"Roaches are not to be messed with," Shirabu added as he threw back the covers, straightening his clothes and hair. "Anything that can survive a nuclear bomb cannot be trusted."

Relieved that she didn't put them off, Sayuri smiled. "Thanks guys! And thanks Reon- _senpai_ , Jin- _senpai_ , and Eita- _senpai_  for getting rid of it," she gushed, gratefully.

"Hey what about me?" Tendou whined with a pout, poking the girl's cheek.

She stuck her tongue at him and blew a raspberry. "Thanks Tendou, your face was a huge help in scaring it away."

"Hmph! You're so mean, Neko- _chan_!"

The rest of them laughed, and Sayuri's lips formed another smile. "Really, thanks so much, guys," she repeated, "For letting me play and for basically saving my life."

"Anytime," Semi winked, earning a quick glare from his captain.

Rearranging his expression back to its usual stoic state, Ushijima stood, bringing the girl with him. "I agree it was fun, but I think you should head back to your room now," he said, pointing to the clock, the hands indicating it was almost 11 PM. "It's getting late and the other girls are most likely wondering where you are."

She had been gone for about two hours now and the girls were probably worried sick. Sure enough, when Sayuri checked her phone, there were a few text messages from Suzumeda and Shirofuku asking where she was. She sent a quick reply, telling them she was on her way back. With a small bow, she said her goodbyes and headed out, only to be followed by Ushijima.

"Toshi- _kun_?" she asked, furrowing her brow in confusion, "Did you forget something?"

Shaking his head, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door, ignoring the whistles coming from Tendou and the amused smiles from Soekawa, Ohira, and Semi. "I'll walk you back," he grumbled, leaving no room for her to question. Giving in, the girl just shrugged her shoulders, giving the boys one last wave before being whisked away by their captain.

"Neko- _chan_ 's adorable, right Reon?" Tendou chuckled, when they had left. "I want to hang out with her more often!"

"Don't let Wakatoshi hear you say that."

* * *

Once out of earshot from his teammates, Ushijima squeezed the girl's hand in concern; her palm was clammy and he could feel that her pulse was faster than usual, but luckily everything else seemed normal. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked to make sure.

"I'm fine, Toshi- _kun_. Just a bit shaken up; thanks for protecting me," she said, squeezing back. "You really are my knight in shining armor!"

His steps faltered for a moment, taken aback when she uttered the words he had said years ago. The first time he had learned of her fear of roaches, the two had been outside playing volleyball in her backyard when a one flew in from nowhere and began buzzing around her. Just like she had done a few minutes before, the girl burst into tears, the sight making young Ushijima upset. Not knowing what else he could do, he threw his arms around her and used his body as a shield until he could get her inside the house. 

When she had finally calmed down, he took her small hands in his own and stared into her eyes.

_"I'll become the strongest person ever!" he vowed as he wiped her tears away, "That way, I can be your knight in shining armor and protect you from any roach!"_

_"Really?" she sniffled. When he nodded his head vigorously, her eyes widened and she broke out into a big smile. "Toshi-kun, you're the best!" she said excitedly, giving him a hug._

Back in the present, Ushijima hummed in response and they slipped into a comfortable silence; he appreciated that she didn't try to fill the air with useless chatter, allowing both of them to just enjoy each other's company. All too soon, the two arrived at the girls room, and he sighed — there was never enough time with the her.

Turning towards him, Sayuri leaned forward until her forehead came to a rest against his chest, and the sound of his heartbeat was a comforting sound. She felt him gently stroke her hair with his free hand, his fingers combing through her long locks, and she almost purred at the feeling. 

Bringing their linked hands up to her face, she pressed a feathery kiss to the back of his hand and she felt the fingers in her hair pause. "I've really missed you, Toshi- _kun_ ," she whispered, afraid to look up at the boy, "Why didn't you—"

"Sayu- _chan_ , where have you been?"

Hearing the girl's voice, Suzumeda had suddenly thrown the door open, only to be met with an embarrassed Sayuri and a blank-looking Ushijima. Noticing the two, her expression went from worried to confused and she turned to her friend for an explanation.

"Hey, Kaori- _chan_ ," she squeaked, "Sorry for worrying you, but I was —"

Coming up from behind, Shirofuku slung an arm around her fellow manager with a shit-eating grin plastered on her face. "Oya, oya? what do we have here?" she whistled, waggling her brows, "What brings the great Ushiwaka to our humble abode?"

Not one to understand when someone is teasing him, Ushijima just dipped his head. "Hello Shirofuku," he greeted, "I'm just walking Sayu back since it's so late."

"Late it is," the third-year hummed, eyeing the reddening face of her  _kouhai_. "And what made her so late, hmm?" 

"It's nothing," Sayuri grumbled quickly, before the boy could answer, grabbing both of her schoolmates and spinning them around. "I'll see you later, ok?" she said over her shoulder, hastily, as she pushed them into their room, "Bye, Toshi- _kun_!"

When the door closed shut behind him, Shirofuku dug her heels into the ground, causing the trio to come to a halt. " _Nothing_ , my ass!" she huffed, shoving her face into the other girl's, "Were you with him this whole time?!" Shirofuku pressed, as Sayuri pushed her way into the room. She made a beeline to her futon and buried herself under the blanket to hide her reddening cheeks.

Ignoring her  _senpai_ , Sayuri pushed past her and made a beeline to her futon, burying herself under the blanket to hide her flushed cheeks.


	13. Sometimes You Need a Good Smack in the Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the last day of camp at Fukurodani and Coach Nekomata's got another surprise up his sleeve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: August 17, 2018
> 
> Man, there was a whole lot that I had to update. As I was rereading this chapter before I made some edits, I was honestly cringing at how terrible it flowed. I know it may seem pointless to go back and update these chapters now that the story is done, but, with it being my first fanfic, it holds a very special place in my heart and want to make sure it's good. Also, maybe all this editing will inspire me to continue with my other story...
> 
> ...Anyway, hope you enjoy!
> 
> ♥♥♥

It was the final day of this week's training camp and the coaches had something...special planned.

To promote cooperation between schools, along with building the skills to adapt to new teammates, the last set of the day was to be played by groups consisting of a mixture of schools, where no one school could be represented more than twice. After careful consideration between all the coaches, the teams were made and the line-up was presented.

"Alright everyone, the first team is as follows," Coach Ukai began, looking at the clipboard in front of him, "Akaashi Keiji (S), Iwaizumi Hajime (WS), Bokuto Kotarou (WS), Sawamura Daichi (WS), Kuroo Tetsurou (MB), Kawanishi Taichi (MB), and Nishinoya Yuu (Li)." As he listed the names, the boys whose names were called gathered on one side of the court. Exuberant as always, the Nekoma and Fukurodani captains expressed their overjoy at being teamed up, throwing themselves at each other for a hug with an unfortunate Akaashi in the middle.

Clearing his throat, Coach Nekomata waited until the noise died down before calling out the other team. "Behave yourselves, Kuroo and Bokuto," he joked, to which he received thumbs-ups and wide grins in response, "Anyway, the second team will consist of: Oikawa Tooru (S), Ushijima Wakatoshi (WS),—"

Not surprisingly, Oikawa was not happy with the coaches' decision. "I will NOT toss to him!" he interrupted with anger, pointing to Ushijima, "Never, EVER, will I play on the same team as that — "

Before he could make even more of a scene, his boyfriend slapped a hand over his mouth, muffling his words. Turning to the old man, he nodded his head in apology. "Sorry, coach, don't mind him. Please, go on." 

"Thank you, Iwaizumi," Yasufumi smiled, "Anyway, the rest of team two will be Azumane Asahi (WS), Tendou Satori (MB), Matsukawa Issei (MB), Yaku Morisuke (Li) and..." He paused for a beat, eyes scanning the crowd before crinkling with mirth when they landed on his granddaughter.

Used to his antics, Sayuri raised her brow at him, waiting for whatever pain-in-the-ass plan he had up his sleeve. And sure enough, he didn't disappoint.

"...lastly, Nekomata Sayuri (WS)."

All heads whipped to face the girl, who rubbed her temples in frustration. " _Ji_ - _ji_ ," she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest, "Aren't you trying to hone these guys' athletic abilities and prepare them for nationals? Why throw in someone who can't even play volleyball?" Seeing right through her lie, he gave her a pointed look and her resolve buckled a bit. "Ok, ok, I can play," she conceded, "But I can't _play_  — not like them! There are so many people here who are much better suited than me!"

"To teach these kids how to adapt to new teammates and the unexpected is exactly the reason why we chose to put you in the game, Sayuri," Coach Naoi explained with a grin and a hearty laugh, "Plus, Coach Nekomata has attested to your better than average skills, so don't go being all humble!"

Sidling up to the girl, Oikawa threw an arm around her shoulders. "Neko- _chan_ , I heard from Ryo- _chan_ that you're quite good," he accused with a pout, poking her cheek, "How about this: if you play, I promise to play with Ushiwaka here!"

Her eye twitching in irritation, Sayuri pushed his hand away and turned her head to glare at him. "Crappykawa, you have to play with him whether or not I join you guys," Sayuri grumbled, earning a thumbs-up of approval from Iwaizumi, Matsukawa, and Hanamaki; they had been trying to get her to use one of the many insulting nicknames within Iwaizumi's repertoire, and only now had she found the right time to say it.

"Not you too, Neko- _chan_!" the brunette whined and turning to his teammates, he gave them an accusatory glare. "You guys are a bad influence!"

Clapping his hands together to reign everyone's attention back in, Yasufumi smiled at his granddaughter as he jerked his head towards all the eager faces around them. "Besides Oikawa, many others want to see you play. Why not do it?"

Defeated, the girl heaved a heavy sigh. "Fine," she agreed, stomping over to her side of the court, "But you better quit it with these surprises, old man, or I won't come back next week." Though she tried to sound as menacing as possible, the threat fell flat as everyone could hear the excitement in her voice. Realizing that she was still in her cheer tracksuit, she shimmied out of her sweats to reveal her spandex shorts underneath and turning to Nishinoya, put on her best, most blinding smile. "Nishinoya- _senpai_ , can I borrow some knee pads?"

"Of course, Sayuri- _san_!" he shouted, his hand flying up into a salute before bolting to the locker rooms to retrieve his spares.

When he returned, he handed them over while he made a 90-degree bow, and Sayuri giggled. "Thanks, Nishinoya- _senpai_!" she chirped as she turned on her heel, missing the boy's beet-red face. After sliding the pads on, she reached up to twist her hair into a long braid down her back before warming up with a few stretches and tuck jumps.

Once ready, she joined her teammates, immediately getting ambushed by Shiratorizawa's middle blocker. "Yay!" Tendou sang, hugging the girl, "Now that Neko- _chan_ 's here, this is going to be fun!" Ever the protective childhood friend, Ushijima quickly came up behind them and separated the two, his hand on the middle blocker's face as he pushed the boy away.

On the other side of the net, Kuroo, who was constantly surprised by the girl's abilities, raised a brow at the two owls next to him. "Oya oya? The Nekomata princess can play volleyball too?"

"Yup, yup! Sayuri- _chan_ helps us at practice from time to time!" Bokuto hooted, bouncing up and down with excitement, "I can't wait to see how she plays as a wing-spiker!"

"Sayuri can play most sports pretty well, and she plays with us from time to time after practice. But I've only ever seen her play in the libero position — she _is_ Nekomata's granddaughter, after all." Akaashi explained further, shrugging as if it wasn't a surprise, "Anyway, the game's about to start so let's get ready." 

Before getting into position, Sayuri was stopped by Oikawa, wearing his usual smile — but she could see in his eyes the urge to win. "I've seen how everyone else plays and pretty much know how they like their tosses, but what about you, Neko- _chan_?" he asked, nonchalantly spinning the ball on his finger.

"I don't normally play the wing spiker position, so I'm not entirely sure," she told him, apprehensively, "I'd say a high toss that's relatively close to the net?"

Ruffling her hair as he made his way to the net and Coach Ukai, who was the referee, the brunette winked at her. "Ok, we'll go with that in the beginning and I can adjust accordingly," he reassured her, not worried in the slightest, "Just leave it to me!"

From what she had seen throughout the week of practices, Oikawa had a good sense of his surroundings and could easily read others' moves and emotions; not only that, but his abilities as a setter were so great that he seemed to draw out the maximum potential of each spiker he tossed to and she couldn't help but be amazed at how effortless he made it seem.

"Alright everyone, as much as I hate Ushiwaka- _chan_ ," Oikawa called out over his shoulder, glaring at the boy, "I hate losing more. Let's beat the shit out of them!"

" _Ossu_!"

* * *

**— Starting Line Up —**

* * *

"Heads is Team A; tails will be Team B."

Despite the many actual captains on each side of the court, Oikawa and Sawamura were chosen as captains for this game. They watched as the coin flipped through the air, landing on the ground with a  _clink_ to reveal the "heads" side, indicating it was Team A's choice.

"We'll serve," Oikawa sang, his eyes silently challenging the Karasuno captain before heading back to their side of the court. "May the best team win!"

A whistle from Ukai signaled the start of the match and Oikawa raised the ball to point straight at his boyfriend on the other side of the net. "Get ready, Iwa- _chan_ , this one's for you!" he cooed, earning a glare from the ace. Tossing the ball high into the air, he took three steps before propelling himself upwards, hitting the ball at the apex of his jump with the strength of a spike.

Watching game after game, she understood why he was renowned for his jump-serve, but being on the same court as it happened was a different thing altogether and boy, was she was glad that she was on his team.

The ball zipped through the air towards the back corner of the court, straight towards the setter's boyfriend. "Damn Kusokawa," Iwaizumi cursed, as the ball smacked against his arms; for years he had been on the receiving end of the boy's serves, but the power behind them never failed to throw him for a loop. " _Gomen_!"

"Chance ball!" Sayuri called out as the ball soared over the net towards her, passing it to Oikawa.

Despite his rivalry with the boy, he tossed the ball to Ushijima, who spiked the ball past Kuroo and Akaashi's block — only for it to be saved by Nishinoya. However, it collided with the libero's arms and spun over his head, something he didn't expect to happen, and a hungry grin spread across his face. "Well hello there, lefty," he growled.

Meanwhile, Sayuri reached out to give her childhood friend a high-five. "Nice kill, Toshi- _kun_!" she exclaimed, to which he replied with only a silent nod, before giving one to Oikawa. "That was an amazing serve!" she gushed, fueling the boy's ego.

"Obviously!" the brunette scoffed, his nose turned up with confidence, "Don't you know how amazing I am — "

"Yes, yes, we all believe in your serves," Matsukawa interjected, coming up from behind to place a hand on his captain's shoulder; his lips twitched into a smirk and he winked at his best friend on the sidelines. "So if you miss, you owe Makki and me ramen — and we're not counting any serves that just happen to get over, either."

"I want extra _chashu_ pork in mine!" Hanamaki added, much to the confusion of those around him, "and Mattsun wants a side of _gyoza_!"

Throwing his arm around the girl, the middle blocker leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Ah, you should join us too, Sayurin," Matsukawa joked as the setter made his way to the baseline, "you'll save us from having a dreadful sausage-fest."

A hearty laugh bubbled from her lips and a grin spread across her face. "Who am I to turn down free food?"

Fueled by the thought of possibly spending his entire allowance on his friends, Oikawa confidently went in for another jump-serve — this time aiming for a campfire between Sawamura and Nishinoya. However, with a decisive call for the ball and his quick reflexes, the libero was able to solidly receive it and it flew over to Fukurodani's setter.

"Bokuto- _san_!" Akaashi cried, tossing the ball to his captain, who slammed it off Asahi's hands, sending it out of bounds.

"HEY, HEY, HEY!!!" the owl shouted, pumping his fists into the air in victory.

With the change in possession of the ball, it was Iwaizumi's turn to serve. Though not as monstrous as Oikawa's, the serves of Seijoh's ace were still powerful and incredibly taxing on his opponents — something Sayuri experienced first-hand as the ball zipped straight towards her and crashed into her arms. "Geh!" she grunted, parrying the force and rolling back to break down the force of the serve, "Oikawa!"

"Perfect receive, Neko- _chan_!" he praised, tossing the ball to Matsukawa for a quick attack, only for it to be picked up by Sawamura, whose flawless receive allowed for Bokuto and Akaashi to perform a quick of their own and forcing Oikawa to get the first touch.

Now that team A's setter was out of the way, the other team backed away from the net in preparation of a chance ball — but they didn't take into account the hidden card of the youngest Nekomata and her childhood friend. "Sayu!" Ushijima shouted, pointing to the girl with an outstretched arm before beginning his approach, implying that the girl take the setter's place; though it had been years since they had done it, Sayuri deftly tossed the ball to the wing-spiker, performing a quick of their own to score another point.

Barely containing his surprise, Oikawa grabbed the girl's hands and shoved his face into hers. "Neko- _chan_ , what was that?!" he gasped as others crowded around them, eager to learn how she was able to easily sync up with one of the top three aces in the nation, "When did you learn to toss like that?"

Releasing herself from the boy's grip, she sidled up to Ushijima, playfully punching his arm with a fond smile on her face. "Toshi- _kun_ and I used to play volleyball together all the time. I can't even count how many times he had me toss the ball to him."

Ushijima nodded in agreement and patted her head. "We haven't played together since we were kids," he said, "but it seems that the skills your father and grandfather taught you have not been forgotten."

"What can I say," she shrugged, glowing at the praise, "I come from a family filled with volleyball dorks. Thankfully I got my brains and looks from _'kaa-san_."

"Are you calling your grandfather dumb?!" Coach Naoi shouted, earning a smack in the back of the head by the older Nekomata.

Eyeing her curiously, Oikawa tapped his chin in thought and opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Ukai's whistle. "Alright, princess of volleyball," he laughed as he got into position, his words met with confused glances from both the girl and his rival, "you better be ready!" With Team A back in possession of the ball, a serve from Azumane was met with a successful rally by Iwaizumi, Akaashi, and Kuroo.

A receive from Tendou sent the ball over to Oikawa and he planted himself under it, scanning his spikers to determine who to use. Only a quick wink from the setter gave Sayuri any warning before he called out her name and sent the ball her way, and for a moment, her mind went blank with surprise; why would he choose her over Ushijima or Matsukawa?

Luckily, her body kept moving despite her mind being elsewhere and she immediately snapped herself out it. She was in the middle of a game and couldn't afford to overthink — not with the annoyingly tall and lanky captain of Nekoma looming in front of her, attempting to block her attack.

Though she was confident that she could hold her ground in a battle that involved jumps, and jumps _only_ , she was no match for him in the height department; it was blatantly obvious to her that the extra 20+ cm he had on her would end in her defeat if she didn't come up with something, quick. With nothing to lose, she contorted her body and put as much force as possible in her swing to execute a sharp inner cross spike, shocking everyone (and even herself) when she scored.

Teetering a bit when she landed, but quickly regaining her balance, she gave Oikawa a high-five before turning to Kuroo, sticking her tongue out at him and pulling down the corner of her eye in jest. "Ooooh, man!" she cheered, flipping him off, "Ya see these Magic Mike fingers goin' up your — " 

"SAYU!"

"Sorry,  _Ji_ - _ji_!" 

On the other side of the net, Kuroo watched the girl get scolded by her grandfather and congratulated by her teammates with wide eyes, before turning to the second-year next to him. "She's full of surprises, isn't she?" he whistled, impressed that she managed to pull it off despite it being a spur-of-the-moment decision; it wasn't any surprise that she was flexible enough to hit a cross, given she was a cheerleader and the granddaughter of Nekomata Yasufumi, but he was amazed by the insane angle of her spike and the power behind it; he had felt it whip past him and was sure that if it had touched his skin, it would have left a burn. "Did you know she could do that?"

"No," Akaashi murmured, his voice filled with awe as he shook his head, "As I said, I've only ever seen her play libero — I wasn't expecting for her to be an all-around player."

Once the excitement had died down, the teams returned to their positions for Azumane's second serve. Too short, it clipped the net and forced Akaashi to dive for the ball. "Nice one, Akasheh!" Bokuto hooted, as usual, getting the boy's name wrong, "Bro, this one's all you!"

 

Coming up from behind, Kuroo ran up and jumped, aiming for Asahi but at the very last second, twisted his body and slammed his hand into the ball, hitting it in the opposite direction with as much force as possible to adjust for the terrible toss. With no one else to lessen the blow, the girl was hit with the full brunt of the spike and tumbled to the ground, her back making a sickening sound as it collided with the court.

"Sayuri- _chan_!"

"Sayu!"

"Neko- _chan_!"

Everyone immediately surrounded her, worry etched on their faces, and both Akaashi and Ushijima bent down to slowly help her into a sitting position. "I'm fine," she groaned, her head spinning; tasting blood, she reached up to gently touch her face, cringing when she saw her fingers coated in the red liquid.

"Kitten, you're not fine, your nose is bleeding," her grandfather told her, gingerly pressing a handkerchief to her face, "And you just got smacked in the face with a ball." Looking around at the boys crowded around them, the old man raised a brow. "Can one of you take her and get her cleaned up? You might have to help her walk."

"I can do it," Akaashi and Ushijima both offered at the same, each with a hand on one of her shoulders; narrowing his eyes, the second-year gently, but firmly tugged her into his arms. "Really, let me do it. I happen to volunteer in the health room from time to time and have a spare key for any practice-related injuries."

"But—"

Yasufumi stopped the boy with an outstretched hand and shook his head. "Let's leave it to Akaashi- _kun_ ," he said as he nodded at the Fukurodani setter. "Why don't you take one of the managers as well; how about Suzumeda?"

"I don't mind!" the first-year manager agreed, quickly taking the place of Ushijima and helping her friend to her feet. But, just as she was about to start walking, Akaashi stopped her, swiftly and easily picking the injured girl into his arms.

Embarrassed, Sayuri covered her face, whimpering as she accidentally touched her still-tender nose. "Keiji- _k_ _un_ , put me down! I can still walk!" she insisted, wincing in pain from the dizziness.

Glancing down at her, Akaashi frowned, "Just let me carry you, it's not a problem at all; you're so light that it feels like I'm holding nothing," he reassured her, with Suzumeda nodding in agreement, as the three of them headed towards the nurse's office.

Caving in, the ravenette rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, almost falling asleep due to the warm air and the gentle rocking of the boy's steps. So comfortable, she didn't even realize that they had reached the health room until she felt the soft bedding of one of the cots as the second-year set her down. Soft murmurs were exchanged between her friends and the girl's eyes snapped open when the door slammed shut. "Where's Kaori- _chan_?" she asked as the older boy began rummaging through the cupboards, pulling out cotton swabs, tissues, and disinfectant.

"There's no ice, so I asked her to go get some from the cafeteria," Akaashi explained, carefully wiping away the blood before cleaning her face with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol.

Sayuri hissed at the pain, but stayed still; their faces were close enough to each other that she could see herself reflected in his dark blue eyes and, feeling her cheeks begin to color, she lowered her gaze to look at her hands writhing in her lap. She held her breath until he was done, and after placing a band-aid over her nose, he lifted her chin to look into her eyes.

"Do you feel any better?" he sighed, searching her face for any other signs of pain; when he found none, he handed her a glass of water and a couple of painkillers. "Here, take this just in case your head still hurts. Suzumeda should be back soon with the ice."

Nodding her head, Sayuri tried her best to smile without aggravating her injury. "Thanks, Keiji- _kun_ ," she murmured, as she swallowed the pills and chased them down with a swig of water. "I probably look like a mess right now."

Akaashi thought otherwise; no matter how she looked, she was beautiful in his eyes. Brushing back a stray lock of hair from her face, his fingers lingering on her cheek, careful not to irritate the still-red skin. Soft as a feather, his fingers flitted down and past her jaw, until they came to a rest in the crook of her neck, where he began drawing random scribbles.

The girl's eyes fluttered closed at his touch and purr escaped her lips, making him shiver despite the summer warmth. Praying that her eyes stayed shut, he leaned forward, their foreheads almost touching—

"AGHAAAASHEH!"

At the sound of his name (being butchered, as expected), the raven-haired boy quickly jumped back, just before Sayuri's eyes snapped open and the door slammed open as Bokuto and Kuroo barged in, a sheepish Suzumeda not far behind.

Dipping her head in apology, the manager grimaced. "Sorry, Akaashi- _san_ ," she sighed, handing the bag of ice over to her friend, "They ended up following me even though I told them you had it under control."

"Sayuri- _chan_ , are you alright?!" Bokuto shouted at the girl laying on the bed, grabbing her hand in worry, but was immediately shushed by his vice-captain when she winced at the loud sound.

Casting a grateful glance at Akaashi, Sayuri patted the owl's hand in assurance. "Don't worry, Bokuto- _san_ , I'm fine. Keiji- _kun_ and Kaori- _chan_ took good care of me."

Coming up from behind his bro, Kuroo bowed, taking care not to speak too loud. "I'm really sorry about that, Kitten," he apologized, earning a glare from both the girl and the setter at the use of her nickname, "I wasn't paying attention to where I was hitting and didn't think you'd be there."

Sayuri chuckled and patted him on the hand as well. "First of all, don't call me "Kitten" — only my mom, and _Ji_ - _ji_ are allowed to do that," she chided, without any malice, "Secondly, that's the whole point of volleyball: to hit it such that no one can receive it. Even though you had a terrible toss, you still managed to score a point; it was an amazing hit!"

Not really used to such praise, the middle-blocker beamed. "Thanks," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"And lastly, I'm alright. I only got a bloody nose and a slight headache from when I landed," she continued, smiling as Akaashi helped her up from the bed. One hand holding the bag of ice to her face and the other firmly gripping the second-year's for balance, she began heading towards the door, stopping only to look over her shoulder. "Let's head back, ok? You two being here means the match is over and that your precious teammates are doing all the cleaning for you."

As they slowly made their through the halls, Suzumeda looked up at her _senpai_. "By the way, what happened after we left? Who won?" she asked. 

"Ah..." Bokuto pouted, crossing his arms over his chest, "Well Konoha ended up taking Sayuri- _chan_ 's place and the setter with the weird bangs from Shiratorizawa replaced Akash. It was a close set, but Team A won in the end."

"Don't mind, don't mind," Akaashi deadpanned, not the least bit sad that his team had lost.

Watching the boys chat amongst themselves, with Bokuto saying something about how he would have done better if he wasn't so worried for his  _kouhai,_ Sayuri felt an arm wrap around her waist and she turned to see her friend. "It seemed like you were having a lot of fun playing, Sayu- _chan_ ," she smiled, "Hopefully this doesn't deter you from coming back!"

"No worries, Kaori- _chan_ ," she smiled in return, "it's always so interesting with everyone around that I wouldn't miss it."

She couldn't wait for next week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Team line-ups are loosely based off of Furudate's dream team and reader's poll dream team. Changed up a few to match the training camp attendees.
> 
> NOTE 2: Kenma hasn't really played a huge role in this story yet, but don't worry! It's just because the other love interests already have history with Sayuri.
> 
> NOTE 3: I love the idea of Sayuri somehow getting really close to Hanamaki and Matsukawa, like an unofficial member of the meme team. Also, at this point, Seijoh & Karasuno are just here fore comedic relief. Ain't a bad thing though.
> 
> NOTE 4: Title is a quote said by Big Ang from "Mob Wives", rest her soul.


	14. Curiosity Killed the Cat...But Apple Pies Brought it Back?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're drooling," Kuroo teased, poking his friend in the cheek as they watched the girl head back to the kitchen.
> 
> Kenma's head whipped around to face the older boy and his cat-like eyes narrowed into a glare. "No, I'm not."
> 
> "Yes, you are!"
> 
> "No, I'm not."
> 
> "...You are."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: August 21, 2018
> 
> I had to update this chapter because apparently Midorima is afraid of cats! The character bible states that the _Kiseki no Sedai_ are all "afraid" of an animal (though in some cases it's more of a dislike of the animal). Here's the link to a page that talks about the specific fears (and includes cute fan art!): https://aminoapps.com/page/anime/2618986/knb-animal-fears
> 
> EDIT: had to edit this AGAIN because the wiki says Kuroko gets his invisibilty from his mom, not dad. So I had to change his relation to his aunt.
> 
> ♥♥♥

"Fuyu, please. I'm trying to clean here."

Sayuri watched as the snowy white Persian paused to stare at her with his clear blue irises; just when her eyes began to hurt from keeping them open, he jumped off the table and walked away, his tail swishing behind him.

"I swear that cat and his siblings own the place," she muttered under her breath, as she resumed cleaning, wiping the spot the cat had just occupied.

"Well, this is  _Meow-ther Nature_  and they are the seasons," a voice behind her replied, making the girl jump.

Whipping around to face her boss, Sayuri's hand flew to her chest in surprise. "Shizuko  _nee-san_ , please don't scare me like that!" she gasped, glaring at the older woman as she tried to calm her beating heart. "You and Tetsuya are exactly alike. Is everyone from your family like this?"

"Tetsu gets it from his mother and I," Hiketsu Shizuko laughed, bending down to pick up the rag her employee dropped, "it  _is_  in our name." Like his aunt, Kuroko Tetsuya was always in the shadows, going by unnoticed unless he made himself known. Not only that, but he had apparently inherited the Hiketsu family blue hair and eyes, as well, given their strikingly similar appearances — they were spitting images of each other except for his aunt's long hair. "Anyway, thanks for coming today. I know you've been busy this past week, but the café's not the same without your pastries."

It was early Saturday morning, the day after the week's training camps had ended, and Sayuri was busy working at the cat café the older woman owned.  _Meow-ther Nature_  was a cozy place and she had loved it the moment she walked in; spending so much of her free time there during middle school, it had become a regular hang-out spot for the girl and her friends, that she considered it a second home and the owner like an older sister.

"No worries, Shizuko  _nee-san_ , I find baking to be really therapeutic. As they say, stressed spelled backwards is desserts," Sayuri reassured her as the two headed into the kitchen. Peeking into the oven to check on said pastries, and seeing that they were just about done, she slipped on a mitt and opened the oven door, the sweet smell of the baked goods immediately filling the air. "But if you feel bad, how about letting Tetsuya or Sacchan give it a try?"

Shizuko's face paled and she stared at the girl, incredulously. "Hardy, har, har, Sayuri- _chan_ ," she muttered, shaking her head, "While Tetsu is just lazy, Satsuki- _chan_  isn't allowed anywhere  _near_  the kitchen for a reason. I still can't eat or even  _look_  at a cupcake because of what happened last time!"

"Sorry, sorry, you know I'm kidding," Sayuri chuckled, raising her hands in surrender, "Even if I hated the person, I wouldn't want anyone to experience something Sacchan made." She knew first-hand how bad her best friend was at cooking and it was an unspoken rule at the café that Momoi would only tend to the cats and the customers; the first and last time the pinkette was allowed in the kitchen resulted in a week-long food poisoning episode for the entire staff.

"Exactly," Shizuko grimaced, before heading to the front of the café, "Well, I'll let you get back to baking," she called out over her shoulder, "I'll be wiping down the tables if you need me!"

A smile on her face, Sayuri began on the second batch of the café's most famous item on the menu: apple hand pies that were shaped like cats. Soon, the tray was filled with baked goods and when it could no longer fit any more, she carried it to the front of the café to the display case. Feeling eyes on her, she turned to see four cats laid out on a nearby table, all with vastly different coats of fur, watching her through the window that connected the kitchen and the rest of the café.

They were Shizuko's personal cats, each one named after a season, and the inspiration for the name of the café: curled up in a ball was Fuyuki, and Natsuki, a ginger tabby Ocicat with bright green eyes, was lounging across the counter and licking her paws as she eyed the sweets in Sayuri's hands. Their sister, Chiaki, a cinnamon British longhair, tossed a ball back and forth between her paws while their brother Haruki, a smoky Russian blue with one blue and one green eye, laid on his side as he played with his sister's tail.

"Oi, crazy cat lady! Could you please control your children?" Sayuri shouted, placing the pies into the display cases before they were snatched by the sneaky felines, "Natsu looks as if she's going to pounce any second."

"Excuse you. I may be a cat lady, but I am not  _crazy_ ," her boss scoffed with a pout as she shooed the tabby and her siblings away. "Are you ready? I'm going to open the café now."

With a nod from the younger girl, Shizuko unlocked the front door and flipped the sign to "OPEN" before heading to the back of the café to let out the rest of the cats. After the last one slinked out of its cage, the bell above to door rang, signaling their first customer, and Sayuri put on her best smile.

"Welcome!"

* * *

"Kenma, I don't understand why you insist on going to this particular café. There are ones closer to home!" Kuroo whined while he trudged behind his best friend, " And it's a cat café, no less! Do you even like cats?!" 

After meeting with the rest of their team to debrief the past week's events, along with discussing their hosting responsibilities for the upcoming week, the two Nekoma students decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at a cat café — well more like Kenma had wanted to go and Kuroo decided to tag along without asking.

Pausing his game to look up at the older boy, Kenma sighed. "Of course I like cats. They're quiet and let me do my own thing — unlike you," he explained, shoving his hand-held console into his pocket, only to pull out his phone. Pulling up a map, he looked at a nearby street sign to double check their location. Satisfied that the they were headed in the right direction, he turned back to his friend with narrowed eyes. "And I want to go because they're known for their apple pie pastries. You didn't have to come, you know."

Years of friendship had made him immune to the setter's sarcastic quips, and Kuroo just chuckled as he slung an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Ah don't be like that!" he sang, ignoring the glare he received, "I know you love hanging out with me. Plus there's got to be a cute girl working there, right?"

Kenma only hummed in a neutral response and before long, the two come to a stop before a small café with the sign  _Meow-ther Nature_  hanging above the door. "Oi, Kenma, is this the place?" the middle-blocker asked and, seeing the younger boy's eyes light up, he pushed the door open.

"Welcome!" a cheery voice greeted as the boys changed into indoor slippers.

Recognizing the voice behind the counter, Kenma stopped in his tracks, frozen in the middle of changing out his shoes; luckily his best friend was there to save him from total embarrassment.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Neko- _chan_!" Kuroo exclaimed, nudging the setter until he started moving again, albeit almost robot-like, "You work here?"

Shocked at seeing the two, Sayuri swore under her breath, quickly slapping a hand over her mouth when she realized her mistake. "Sorry, that was rude of me," she apologized with a sheepish smile, "I wasn't expecting you two to be customers since this place is probably pretty far from where you live, but I'm glad you guys are here! What can I get you?"

"Ah, umm, can I get an apple paw pie and uhh..." Kenma stuttered as he tried to hide his increasingly reddening face with his hair, "...an iced chai latte?"

"Hmm...let me try one of those apple pies too and an iced black coffee, please," Kuroo ordered, snickering at his best friend's nervousness.

"You got it!" she chirped and after ringing them up, gestured to the open table nearby, indicating for them to take a seat. "Please make yourself comfortable. I'll bring your food and drinks when they're ready." Pointing to the myriad of cats lounging around the room, she smiled. "In the meantime, enjoy playing with our feline friends!"

As the whirs of the coffee machine filled the air, the boys obediently sat down and waited; many of the cats nearby took an immediate liking to Kuroo, and he was soon covered in fur that it was hard to tell where his hair ended and the cats began. Ignoring the apparent distress his friend was in due to the possibility of suffocation, Kenma returned to his game, every once and a while reaching down to the cats who would rub against his ankles.

Within a few minutes, the  _clack_ of the girl's shoes alerted them to her arrival and they looked up just as she placed their orders onto their table. "Oh my god, they really seem to like you, Kuroo!" Sayuri laughed as she removed a sleek black cat from his head, who had made herself at home on the boy's mess of hair. "Amaya, sweetie, you've got it all wrong; I know his hair looks likes a potential friend, but trust me — he's not worth it."

"Oi!"

Meanwhile, Kenma was silent as he watched the two banter, tongue-tied and at a loss for words; just when he thought he couldn't get more flustered, he was slammed with a view of the girl's full uniform, no longer hidden behind the counter.

Though there wasn't an enforced work uniform, Sayuri (and Momoi) made it an unofficial dress-code to have something cat-themed in their outfits, and today was no exception: the girl wore knee-high cat tights paired with a short, plaid suspender skirt that accentuated her long, slender legs, while a simple gray t-shirt adorned her top, hugging her chest tightly.

Suddenly interested in the cat at his feet, the setter took a big bite of his apple pie to hide his embarrassment — and almost moaned in delight as the flavors melded on his tongue. He savored every part of the pastry, from the flaky and buttery crust sweet, yet tart, filling, and was disappointed when it ended all too soon. "These are amazing," he murmured in awe, quickly forgetting self-consciousness to look up at the girl with wide eyes, "They're even better than the reviews I read."

Without warning, Sayuri leaned in close, and the setter almost chocked on the piece he was chewing. "Are you sure you're not just saying that to make me feel better?" she puted with narrowed eyes. Unable to form a coherent response, he just nodded, hoping that would suffice.

"Neko- _chan_ , give him some room to breathe," Kuroo drawled, pulling the girl back before taking a bite of his own. "Wow, they  _are_ really good!" he admitted, his eyebrows raised in surprised as he quickly finished the pie in a couple more bites, "Did you bake them?"

This time it was Sayuri's turn to blush. "Yeah, I'm glad you liked them! While I'm pretty proud of all my creations, these apple pies are my specialty," she giggled, bashfully, pointing at the now empty plates in front of her. "I used to help my mom bake when I was young, but didn't really get into it until middle school. And then when Shizuko hired me, my love for it really took off since she gave me creative freedom to try out new things."

Kuroo let out a low whistle before slapping his friend on the back. "Wow, she sure is something, ain't she, Kenma?" he teased, referring more to girl's outfit than her baking skills, and earning a glare from the boy.

Clueless to the setter's suffering, Sayuri just smiled as she picked up the boys' dirty dishes. "Let me get these out of your way and clean things up a bit," she offered, nodding her head at the empty café, "It's a pretty slow day today so my boss won't mind if I skip out on my duties a little early and hang out with you guys." There were only three other people besides the Nekoma boys, which wasn't that unusual considering it was almost closing time.

"You're drooling," Kuroo teased, poking his friend in the cheek as they watched the girl head back to the kitchen.

Kenma's head whipped around to face the older boy and his cat-like eyes narrowed into a glare. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not."

"...You are."

"Not. Anyway, this place is pretty nice," Kenma muttered, changing the subject, "I really like it."

"It is pretty great here, huh?" Sayuri agreed, coming up from behind as she rejoined them and taking a seat next to the pudding-haired boy. "It's quiet and cozy, and most importantly, the cats are extremely cute," she added, scratching the head of the one that had jumped into her lap. Leaning her head on Kenma's shoulder, she stared lovingly at the feline in her arms before turning to the bed-headed captain. "So what brings you two here?"

His friend once again too stunned to reply, Kuroo smirked. "Kenma here loves apple pie and he's been dying to come here ever since he's read the reviews."

Without lifting her head, the girl looked up at the setter for conformation. "It's my favorite food," Kenma admitted, shyly, and was embarrassed when his voice almost cracked...or he would have been if he could even register the fact. His thoughts were muddled due to her close proximity: he could see the blue and green flecks in her gray irises, smell the lingering scent of apple pies on her clothes, feel the softness of her hair tickling his cheek and the suppleness of her body pressed against his —

"Really?" Sayuri exclaimed excitedly, clapping her hands together, "I would have never pegged you as a sweets person!"

The girl's sudden movement violently jolted him from his thoughts that his body almost jerked in surprise, and Kenma quickly brought a hand to his face to hide his blush-tinged cheeks.  _What am I even thinking?!_ he silently groaned as he attempted to calm his racing heart.

Luckily, she was blind to the boy's inner turmoil. "Well you too are just in luck!" she grinned as she stood, removing the cat from her lap and gently placing it on the floor, "I have a batch in the oven that's just about done, so I'll give you guys some — on the house, of course!" When they protested, she shook her head vehemently, pointing to the clock on the wall; at this point, the only people left in the café were the Nekoma boys, as it was just about closing time. "Really, don't worry about it! You guys would actually be helping us! Otherwise, we'd just have to throw them out," she insisted.

Just then, the bell over the door rang and Sayuri turned to greet the newcomers. "Ah, sorry! We're about to cl—"

"Sayuricchi!! Shizukocchi!!! We're here!" Kise called, as he, Kuroko, Momoi, and Aomine entered the café, and the ravenette's face lit up at the sight of her old friends.

Running up to other as they shouted each other's name, Momoi and Sayuri pulled each other into a tight embrace. "Missed you, Sacchan!" she beamed, and without releasing the pinkette, nodded her head toward the others. "Daiki, Tetsuya, _yaho_!"

"How mean, Sayuricchi! What about me?!" Kise pouted.

Knowing that he wasn't really put off by her lack in greeting, as they had just seen each other a few days ago, Sayuri just laughed, blowing a kiss at the boy. However, she quickly realized that someone was missing and she looked around the gathered faces with a frown. "Wait...where's Shintarou?"

A collective sigh of exasperation rang throughout the group and they all pointed outside to the boy in question: leaning against a streetlight, fiddling with his lucky item of the day (a wooden spoon), was Midorima Shintarou, former vice-captain of the Generation of Miracles — who also happened to have a fear of felines.

"You know how he is with cats," Kuroko explained, bending down to pet one that had wound itself around his ankles, and its satisfied purrs soon filled the air.

"He just doesn't like them because they keep scratching him," Aomine scoffed as he suddenly crouched down, scaring a nearby kitten.

Sayuri reached over to slap the boy's head, giving him a stern glare. "Keep it up with that behavior, and they'll start scratching you too," she warned, untangling herself from her best friend's embrace, but keeping hold of the girl's arm. "Anyway, I've got to start on the cleaning, so just take a seat!"

"Before you leave, why don't you introduce us to your...friends?" Kuroko coughed, gesturing to the two Nekoma boys with a curious glance, unsure of whether they were acquainted with the girl.

Amongst the ruckus of her friends' arrival, Sayuri had almost forgotten about the volleyball players. "Ah, how rude of me! These two are members of the Nekoma volleyball team: Kozume Kenma and Kuroo Tetsurou," she chuckled sheepishly, pointing to them when she called out their names. In turn, she did a sweep of her arm to introduce her friends. "And these are a couple of my best friends from middle school: Aomine Daiki, Kuroko Tetsuya, Momoi Satsuki...and you both are familiar Ryouta. The green giant outside is Midorima Shintarou." 

"You can call me Kenma," the setter mumbled, pulling out his hand-held console to avoid the attention.

Reaching over, Kuroo extended his hand towards Kise for a high-five. "Of course I remember you! You're Neko- _chan_ 's friend who kept blocking Bokuto!" he cackled.

Ever expressionless, Kuroko faced his boyfriend and flicked his forehead. "I see you're still causing trouble everywhere you go, Kise- _kun_ ," he scolded as the others laughed.

"Kurokocchi!!!"

The _clang_ of pans drifted from the kitchen before Shizuko's voice rang out. "Sayuri- _chan_ , is that Tetsu them? I can hear Kise- _kun_ 's whining all the way from here," she teased, causing the teenagers to laugh even harder. Entering the room, the petite bluenette bounced over to the group of teenagers to ruffle the blonde's hair before jerking a thump at the boy outside. "Pray tell, why is Midorima- _kun_  outside? Is he  _still_ afraid of cats?!" she asked incredulously, her brows raised in disbelief.

When she received nods in response, the older woman sighed with a shake of her head. Rolling up her sleeves, she stomped outside and everyone watched in amazement as she walked up to the tall  _ikemen_ and grabbed him by the collar, dragging him into the store and dropping in into the open seat next to her nephew. Wiping the beads of sweat off her forehead, turned to the two girls. "Sayuri- _chan_ ,  _huff_ , why don't you start,  _huff_ , cleaning up and I'll,  _huff_ , bring out the leftover pies,  _huff_ , that you made," she wheezed, trying to catch her breath, "They should,  _huff_ , be done soon." 

"I'll help as well!" Momoi offered, linking arms with her best friend and boss, and the three headed towards the back of the café.

"So...," Midorima grimaced, a few moments after the girls left, shuffling closer to the bluenette next to him to avoid a nearby cat, "How do you two know Nekomata?"

With Kenma's nose shoved into his game, Kuroo had no choice but to do all the talking. "Like Neko- _chan_ said, we play volleyball and we happen to play on the team her grandfather coaches," he explained before pointing the question back at the others, "What about you guys?"

"Sayuricchi transferred into Momocchi and Akashicchi's class at the beginning of our first year at Teiko. Us boys were all starters on the basketball team, which Momocchi was the manager of, and since the two girls were basically joined at the hip, Sayuricchi naturally became a part of the group," Kise chirped, snuggling into the crook of his boyfriend's neck — which was quite the sight to see given that he was more than 20 cm taller than the latter.

A yawn ripped through Aomine and he stretched his arms above his head. "Yeah, but there was also Akashi. And we all know that once he sets his mind on something, he always gets what he wants and refuses to let go."

"Aomine- _kun_ ," Kuroko warned, looking at his best friend.

The boy just shrugged, leaning back into his chair as the other got up to help the girls. "You know it's true," he grumbled under his breath, kicking his legs up and resting them on the seat the bluenette had just occupied.

Never one to turn down a chance to gossip, a toothy grin split Kise's face. "If you're wondering, and I'm sure you are, Akashi Seijuro is our other friend who is the former captain of Teiko's basketball team during our time there; technically he's still a captain now, but at Rakuzan High," he whispered loudly with a mischievous glint in his golden eyes, "And...he was also Sayuricchi's boyfriend all throughout middle school!"

Displeased by the tidbit of information, Kenma's knuckles turned white as he clutched his game console, and Kuroo nudged the boy to calm him down. "I see..," the third-year murmured, "What were they like as a couple?"

"Disgustingly in love with each other," Aomine mock gagged, "And not just them either — everyone, and I mean  _everyone_ , loved them, as well. They were way popular before getting together, but after, it was like people worshipped them."

A scoff came from Midorima while he fiddled his glasses, subtly flipping the boy off. "You're exaggerating,  _nanodayo_. Akashi and Nekomata were not obscene and kept things private," he chided, to which the other just rolled his eyes, "But I do agree that people were overly obsessed with them."

"How could they not be! They were pretty much the perfect couple!" Kise interjected, "Both were top of the class and were vice-captains turned captains ever since their first-year!" A dreamy sigh escaped the blonde as he rested his chin in his hands. "It was like a _shoujo_ _manga_ story coming true: the captains of the basketball and cheer teams dating each other."

"Are you guys talking about Sayuri- _chan_  and Akashi- _kun_?" Shizuko hummed, suddenly appearing behind them with a tray of steaming pies, straight from the oven. After getting over the initial shock of her stealthy arrival, the boys wasted no time digging in. "Why'd they break up again?" she asked, quickly snatching one for herself before they were all devoured.

Already reaching for his third pie, Aomine spoke up first. "Broke up 'cuz he was going Kyoto for high school," he mumbled, his mouth covered in crumbs, "Satsuki said that Sayuri was afraid she'd hold him back or something like that."

His aversion to cats momentarily forgotten, Midorima looked aghast at his friend's lack in manners and shoved a napkin in the other boy's face. "Aomine, please chew your food before speaking," he frowned, "And while I do think that, out of everyone, Nekomata would not have been a hindrance, I feel that it was in the best interests of both of them to separate. Even if they care for each other, Akashi was scouted to be the captain of a major powerhouse and juggling a long-distance relationship on top everything would have eventually resulted in things turning sour."

"Stop being such a downer, Midorimacchi!" Kise whined, slapping the green-haired giant on the back and almost making him choke, "Both of them were more than willing to make things work — it's just that Sayuricchi didn't want to risk jeopardizing his future."

The Nekoma boys were surprised at how much information the others were sharing, though they figured it was due to the café's owner and the mouthwatering pastries that they more or less forgot the two were there. "So they didn't break up due to lost love, huh?" Kuroo mused, glancing at his quiet friend next to him; having put away his console when the food arrived, the setter was nibbling on a pie while he played with a nearby cat, and though his face was blank, the older boy could tell he was upset. "Do they still have feelings for each other?"

"Momocchi and Kurokocchi don't want to admit it, but it's obvious that Akashicchi is still in love with Sayuricchi, given how he treats her compared to everyone else — he calls her almost every single day! He only talks to us if involves Sayuricchi or if she's in the chat as well!" Kise complained, snatching the last of the pies, much to the disdain of the others. "On the other hand, Sayuricchi is oblivious to his feelings, though I know she cares a lot about him, so who knows if she's moved on or not?"

"Well you boys better not bother them. I'm going to respect her decision because she probably put in a lot of thought into and, and you better do the same," Shizuko warned; the older woman was very protective of her employees and treated them as her own younger siblings, "Anyway, there's a few of our other pastries still left over, and since I'm _so_ gracious, I'll pack them up for you to take home," she offered, heading back towards the kitchen.

The moment she left, she was immediately replaced by Kuroko, who stepped out from behind the curtain separating the employee area and the main café space. The others watched in silence as he cleared his throat, and they could hear the giggles of the girls behind him. "I now present Sayu- _nyan_  and Meow-mocchi," Kuroko deadpanned, stepping aside to reveal his friends.

Nothing had changed except for the cat ears and tails the girls now sported, and they posed with glee as Kise and Shizuko took pictures. Despite his brutish looks, Aomine was a devoted boyfriend and joined in the fray to snap shots of his girlfriend and even Kuroo slipped in to sneak a picture, only to feign ignorance when he received a glare from Kenma.

"What do you think?" Sayuri asked the Nekoma boys, giving them a twirl while Momoi fawned over a nonplussed Kuroko, much to the disappointment of her and his boyfriends.

With the setter once again speechless, Kuroo gave her two thumbs-up. "Looking good, Neko- _chan_ ," he purred with a wink, earning a kick to the shin from his friend.

But the girl wasn't fazed and she came up from behind Kenma to rest her hands on his shoulders. "Obviously, Pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo- _san_ ," she shot back, sticking her tongue out before leaning down to smile at the second-year, "I feel sorry that you have such a perverted childhood friend."

Finally finding his voice, he nodded as his lips twitched into a smirk. "Yeah, it's been terrible."

"Oi!"

"Look at the time!" Shizuko announced, clapping her hands together, "I'm sure you all have better places to be than hanging out with this old woman, so unless you guys want to help me clean up all the cat pee and poop lying around, it's best that you leave now."

Momoi and Sayuri sidled up to their boss with worried looks on their faces. "Sorry for getting distracted, Shizuko  _nee-san_!" Sayuri apologized, "I can stay and help you finish up with the cleaning!"

Shaking her head, the older woman ruffled both of the girls' hair. "I'm just playing. You two and Tetsu basically cleaned up everything else, so I can at least do this much," she reassured them. Grabbing a few brown bags off a nearby table, she handed them out to each of the boys, "Now here are the extras I packed for you — don't forget to tell your friends about this place!"

"Shameless plug,  _baa-san_ ," Kuroko teased, to which his aunt just shrugged.

After saying their goodbyes, the group of teenagers headed out the door, parting ways outside of the café — though not without Sayuri giving both the two Nekoma boys a quick hug before leaving with her friends. When they disappeared into the crowd, Kuroo turned to Kenma with a shit-eating grin. "So..want a copy of the photo?" he smirked, his fingers poised over the send button.

"...Shut up."

"Well, that wasn't a no — OW!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Hiketsu Shizuko is Tetsuya's aunt on his mom's side. I had to correct this, but according to the KnB wiki, Kuroko gets his looks and invisibility from his mother. Like her nephew, she doesn't have any presence and even her given name means "quiet child"; also like Tetsuya, she has a soft spot for cute animals, especially cats because she feels a connection to them. Hiketsu comes from "秘" which means "secret" and "欠" meaning "lack".


	15. Bros Just Want to Have Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the other captains find out about Sayuri's past relationship because Kuroo can't hide anything from his Bro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The bromance is strong in this one

**— 1 new message in "O Captain! My Captain!" group chat —**

From: **Kubro**

_BRO_

From:  **Brokuto**

_BRO_

From:  **Kubro**

_I HAVE SOMETHING 2 SHOW U BRO_

From:  **Brokuto**

_WAT IS IT BRO?_

 

From:  **Dadchi**

_WOULD YOU QUIT IT WITH THE BROMANCE_

 

From:  **Brokuto**

_Dadchi just doesn't understand our love, bro_

From:  **Kubro**

_So tru, bro_

( ´꒳`*)人(*´꒳` )

From:  **Dadchi**

ლ(ಠ益ಠ)ლ 

 

From:  **Kusokawa**

(╯°益°)╯彡┻━┻

 

From:  **Ushiwaka**

_What was it that you wanted to show, Kuroo_

From:  **Kubro**

_You guys are no fun_

(Θ︹Θ)ს

_Anyway, Kenma & I saw Neko-chan @ her working place & I took a picture!_

SENT: NekochanAndFriend.png

_Isn't Neko-chan adorable?!_

From:  **Brokuto**

_IS THAT SAYURI-CHAN?!_

_SHE'S SO CUTE!_

_Her friend's pretty hot 2!_

 

From:  **Kusokawa**

_Ur just looking @ her boobs, aren't u_

 

From:  **Brokuto**

(*´台｀*)

_NO..._

From:  **Kubro**

_Lol, don't try 2 hide it bro_

_They r pretty big_

( • )( • )ԅ(≖‿≖ԅ)

From:  **Kusokawa**

_Ugh, u guys r disgusting_

(*ಠ_ಠ)つ

From:  **Kubro**

(✧≖‿ゝ≖)

From:  **Ushiwaka**

_Kuroo, why do you have this picture_

_Did you even ask her or her friend for permission?_

From:  **Kubro**

_Whoa calm down there farmer_

_Neko-chan & her friend were all 4 it_

_They were doing a photo shoot in front of all her other friends_

From:  **Ushiwaka**

 _Who else has this_ _picture?_

From:  **Kubro**

_Just her friends that were there & her cool lady boss_

_Happy?_

From:  **Kusokawa**

_LOL overprotective much, aren't we?_

_Do u have a crush on Neko-chan or something?_

（๑✧∀✧๑）

 

From:  **Ushiwaka**

_..._

_She is just my childhood friend_

_I only want to protect her from creeps_

 

From:  **Dadchi**

_Then you should definitely keep her away from the rest of the people in this chat_

From:  **Kubro**

_Oi!_

From:  **Brokuto**

_HEY HEY HEY NOW_

 

From:  **Kusokawa**

_You're so mean Dai-chan!_

 

From:  **Ushiwaka**

_I'll keep that in mind, Sawamura_

 

From:  **Kusokawa**

凸ಠ益ಠ)凸

 

From:  **Dadchi**

(ಡ艸ಡ)

_pfff_

_who knew Ushiwaka could joke around_   

From:  **Kubro**  

_Even Ushiwaka is cracking jokes_

╭✖⊆✖╮

_I ded_

From:  **Brokuto**

_I NEED U BRO_

From:  **Kubro**

ヾ(ﾟｪﾟゞ)

_BRO U REVIVED ME_

From:  **Brokuto**

_BRO_

 

From:  **Dadchi**

_WOULD YOU QUIT IT PLEASE_

From:  **Kubro**

(｀ε´)

_Fine_

_Anyway, I also found out about Neko-chan's ex_

From:  **Kusokawa**

_You mean Akashi?_

 

From:  **Brokuto**

_DID SOMEONE SAY AKAAAAASHI??_

From:  **Kubro**

_No bro, Akashi Seijuro_

_Sayuri's (maybe?) ex_

From:  **Ushiwaka**

_Maybe?_

_What do you mean._

From: **Kubro**

_According 2 her friends from middle school_

_he's still in love with her_

From:  **Dadchi**

_Whoa, that's pretty intense_

 

From:  **Brokuto**

_U think she's maybe still in love with him?_

 

From:  **Ushiwaka**

_Sayu isn't the type of person to call it quits when the feelings are mutual._

_If they're not dating, then she must not be._

From:  **Kubro**

_Idk about that_

_She only broke up w/ him cuz she didn't wanna get in the way of his basketball_

_its possible Neko-chan still has feelings_

 

From:  **Kusokawa**

_Ryo-chan told me they talk all the time_

_Which is kinda sketchy for someone with no feelings_

From: **Kubro**

¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

_who knows_

From:  **Dadchi**

_Maybe that's why she's single even tho she's beautiful_

 

From:  **Brokuto**

_Oya oya?_

From:  **Kubro**

_Oya oya oya?_

From:  **Ushiwaka**

_Sawamura, do I have to keep her away from you too?_

 

From:  **Dadchi**

_Oi! I'm just stating the obvious!_

_It's clear to see that there are a lot of boys from the training camp that are after her_

From:  **Kubro**

_Sure, sure_

From: **Dadchi**

_Ugh whatever, I'm leaving_

— **Dadchi is offline**   **—**

From: **Kubro**

_Bro, he ran away_

From: **Brokuto**

_Bro, he did_

 

From: **Kusokawa**

_He ran away cuz of u 2!_

From:  **Kubro**

Σ(ﾟдﾟ|||)

From:  **Ushiwaka**

_Oikawa is right._

_Also, I suggest you all don't go spreading false rumors about Sayu_

_Now then, goodbye_

**— Ushiwaka is offline —**

From:  **Kusokawa**

_Ugh that Ushiwaka!_

_Tryna be all high & mighty!_

—  **Kusokawa is offline —**

From:  **Brokuto**

_Looks like everyone left us bro_

(ಥ_ʖಥ)

From:  **Kubro**

_Dw bro_

_ur the only one I need_

(　￣▽)爻(▽￣　)

From:  **Brokuto**

ಥ﹏ಥ

_Bro_

* * *

Lost in thought, Ushijima didn't notice his friend coming up behind him until he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Wakatoshi, are you going to continue practicing?" Ohira gently proded, "The cafeteria's going to close in an hour."

"Ah, is it that late already?" he asked, his brows furrowed in confusion, "You go on ahead. I'll quickly clean up and meet you there."

Worried about his captain's unusual behavior, Ohira frowned. "Hey are you ok? You've been pretty distracted today."

The ace cocked his head, absentmindedly bouncing the ball in his hand. "I'm fine...there are just some things on my mind," he explained, slowly, "I apologize for letting it get in the way of practice."

"No, no, don't worry about it," his friend reassured him, shaking his head, "Let me know if you want to talk."

Ushijima just nodded, waving to his friend as he left before going in for his final spike of the night. As he made his approach, his mind wandered back to the conversation he had with the other captains earlier that day. He couldn't get rid of the sinking feeling he got when Kuroo had mentioned Sayuri's past relationship; was it really something of the past? And that picture...he agreed that she looked very cute, so much like a cat that he wanted to pet—

_CRASH_

Startled out of his reverie by the sound, the tinkling of glass hitting the court alerted him to the broken window he had just smashed through. As he began picking up the shards, a heavy sigh escaped his lips.

He was not looking forward to telling the coach about this.

* * *

"Bokuto- _san_ , please pay attention," Akaashi chided, tapping his captain's paper with his pencil.

"But Agkeshee," he whined, dropping his head onto the table, "it's so boring!" The two were at Bokuto's house doing their summer homework; however, progress was slow because the older boy had spent most of his time on his phone, despite the many warnings from the setter.

Rubbing his temples in frustration, the ravenette sighed. "You'll never get these problems done if you keep getting sidetracked! Do I need to call Sayuri here?" he threatened and a shiver ran through the owl. Sure, he liked the way she got him out of his dejected moods, as she was always complimenting him, but when it came to him slacking in academics, it was a whole other story — one he'd like to avoid.

Hoping to distract the younger boy, Bokuto whipped out his phone and shoved it into the setter's face. "Speaking of Sayuri- _chan_ , look at this!" he shouted, excitedly, "Isn't she super cute?!"

Akaashi took one look at the photo and coughed, almost choking on his spit. 

 _Were those cat high-knee tights?_  

"Bokuto- _san_..." he mumbled, slowly, when he found his voice again, "where did you get that?"

"Kuroo sent it to me," Bokuto replied as he continued playing with his phone, not noticing the growing blush on the younger boy's cheeks, "He and Kenma went to the cat café she works and even met some of her friends from middle school!" 

Peeved that the cat captain was bold enough to take a picture, Akaashi frowned. "And why does Pai—," he paused, almost using the older boy's ~~well deserved~~ nickname, "I mean Kuroo- _san,_ have a photo of Sayuri and her friend in cat ears and tails," he pressed.

Bokuto shrugged his shoulders. "He didn't say why she had the cat stuff but her friends and cool lady boss were all taking photos, so he snapped one too," he answered, raising his brows, "Why are you getting so mad for? Do you not think she's cute?"

"I'm not mad, I'm just...curious" the setter carefully explained, "And I agree that she does look cute." He ducked his head to hide his red face, quickly changing the subject. "Anyway, let's get back to work. We've got a long way to go."

With a pout, the owl's focus returned to the paper in front of him, missing the younger boy break his pencil in two.

* * *

**BONUS**

Spread out on his bed, Kenma was in the middle of playing a game on his phone when a text alert filled his screen. Seeing Kuroo's name, he initially ignored it and went back to his game — only to be bombarded with a horde of texts all saying the same thing:

~~~~~ 

From:  **Kuro  
** To:  **Kenma**

 

SENT: YOUBETTERLOOKATTHIS.png

~~~~~ 

Warily, he opened the message and in his shock, dropped the phone onto his face: it was the picture Kuroo had taken earlier that day of Sayuri and her friend wearing cat ears and tails, her cheeks rosy and her smile blinding as she posed for the camera.

"Geh!"

Rubbing his sore nose, Kenma sent back a snarky text to his best friend, before returning to his game. A few minutes passed and after a second thought, he reopened the message, biting his lips as he looked at the picture.

His face bright red, from something other than his injury and the heat, he saved the photo and quickly shut his phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Group chat name refers to the title of Walt Whitman's extended metaphor poem about the death of Abraham Lincoln


	16. Some Things Never Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sayuri and her best friends hang out like old times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: August 23, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

Though it was late afternoon when they had left the café, the sky was still bright as Sayuri and her friends made their way to Kuroko's house. They moved slow, soaking up the summer sun and taking the time to enjoy each others' company.

"Your friends sure are something, Sayucchin," Momoi gushed, her pink eyes flashing the way they always did when she went into her analytic mode, "If I remember correctly that boy Kuroo is quite the middle blocker while the quiet one's game sense and observation skills are impressive!"

Sayuri's eyebrows shot up, and she stared at her friend in surprise. "Uhh, _remember correctly_ , you say?" she frowned, before realization hit her and she shook her head, "Don't tell me... _Ji_ - _ji_ had you gather information on them when they joined the team, am I right?" The pinkette only shrugged her shoulders, looping her arm through Aomine's as she feigned ignorance.

"Stop spoiling the old man," the ravenette playfully chided, poking the other girl in her side, "But yeah, from what I've seen, Kuroo's a great volleyball player and cares a lot for his team; he isn't the captain for nothing. Kenma's more of the type to not move unnecessarily and do the minimal possible, but it works for him due to his strategic thinking."

Leaning over his boyfriend, Kise nodded his head. " _Ji-ji_ 's got a good team," he chimed in, "Their defense is great and they're super agile — just like cats!"

"Are we really surprised though?" Momoi giggled, sticking her tongue at her best friend before poking her back, "The whole Nekomata clan is cat-centric. Look at Sayucchin: she's a super flexible cheerleader who always lands on her feet  _and_ she works at a cat café," she added. Pointing to the other girl's legs, she laughed. "She's even wearing cat tights!"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Sayuri pouted, much to the amusement of her friends. "Hey! We've got " _neko_ " in our name — what do you expect?" Despite her complaints, she wasn't put off by the comparison; she had long since embraced the Nekomata name.

Just then, Kise spotted a nearby arcade and excitedly turned to the rest of the group. "Guys, look!" he bounced, looking like a dog getting ready for a walk outside, "Let's play some games!"

"Stop being so childish," Midorima scoffed; however, the enthusiastic glint in his eyes said otherwise.

Aomine snorted, earning a glare from the bespectacled boy. "Afraid of losing, huh?"

"I'm sorry, could repeat that?" the shooting guard sneered as he stepped closer, shoving his face into the other boy's, "I didn't quite catch that. All I'm hearing is stupid coming from your mouth —"

Slipping in between the two, Sayuri lightly punched both in the stomach. "Behave yourselves," she scolded, putting her arms down only when the boys stepped away from each other. Turning to the taller of the two she smiled. "Come on, Shintarou, it'll be like old times!" she pleaded, grabbing onto his hand and pulling him towards the arcade entrance, "We always used to come here after school when there wasn't any practice."

Behind them, Kise shook his head. "Some things never change," he murmured as the others nodded in agreement, "Midorimacchi only ever listens to Sayuricchi and Akashicchi."

The moment the automatic doors slid open, the group was hit with the cacophony of the beeps and whirs coming from the multitude of machines. Amongst the flashing lights and bright colors, their attentions immediately focused on the basketball shooting game nearby. 

Despite his earlier reluctance, Midorima's eyes lit up with excitement. "Let's see who's actually afraid of losing, Aomine," he provoked, pushing his glasses up and flipping the other boy off. Not one to turn away from a challenge, Aomine bared a toothy grin and the two bolted over to the game, with Kise and Kuroko following suit.

Knowing that the boys would be spending all their time shooting hoops, the girls roamed around the arcade until one game caught their eyes. "Oh, Sayuricchin! Over there!" the pinkette pointed, guiding the other girl over to an open  _Time Crisis_ _IV_. With Momoi's analytical skills and Sayuri's quick reflexes and aim, the two generally gravitated towards first-person shooter games, and  _Time Crisis_ was one of the favorite series.

Poised and ready, with their hands hovering over the start button, a huge smile split both of their faces.

"3, 2, 1...GO!"

* * *

"Ugh, Midorimacchi, that last game was unfair!" Kise whined when they had run out of tokens; the four of them had lost track of time while playing and by the end of it, non surprisingly, had managed to beat the high score on every machine. As for their friendly competition, Midorima had won by just a few points.

Patting his boyfriend on the back, Kuroko shook his head. "Give it up, Kise- _kun_. You know Midorima- _kun_ 's specialty is his accurate shot."

"Anyway, where are Satsuki and Sayuri?" Aomine asked, looking around for any sign of his girlfriend and friend, "Haven't seen them since we got here."

As they wandered around in search of the girls, a loud shout caught their attention and they followed the sound to see a large group, of primarily boys, gathered around one game, cheering on whoever was playing. When the four of them reached the crowd, they saw the friends they were looking for in the middle of an fierce game, oblivious to their surroundings: the two girls were focused on the flashing screen in front of them, an intense and determined look in their eyes as they fought enemy after enemy. Their movements were hypnotizing, both of them hitting their targets with frightening ease and accuracy. The crowd grew quiet as they faced-off with the final boss, ending the game with a shot to the villain's head.

Finally snapping back into reality, the girls holstered their guns and Sayuri turned to her best friend to give her a high-five. "That was awesome, Sacchan —"

Cheers erupted from those around them, interrupting her, and the two were showered with praises.

"Whoa, you girls are amazing!"

"Do you guys play often?!"

"What school do you two go to?"

Distracted by the many questions being thrown at them, the girls didn't notice a group of rough looking high schoolers until they were uncomfortably close, not-so-subtly cutting them off from the others.

"Why hello there, ladies," one of them asked, giving the both of them a thorough once-over while his friend shooed the rest of the crowd away, "Do you come around here often? Haven't see you before — and I'd definitely remember if I have." Liking what he saw, he creepily licked his lips, and Momoi shifted closer to her friend, clutching the girl's arm.

"Sorry, we need to go and find our friends," Sayuri hissed through clenched teeth, and she gripped the pinkette's hand. "Come on, Sacchan, let's go."

Before she could move, another boy, who seemed to be the group's leader, slung his arm around her, preventing her from leaving. "Now now, don't be so shy!" he laughed, squeezing her shoulder, "I don't see any "friends" nearby so maybe they already left. We were just about to get something to eat so why don't you join us?" A third boy nodded his head vigorously in agreement, his eyes glued to Momoi's chest.

"No thank you," she snarled as she slapped his hand away, her lips curled in disgust, "Now if you'll excuse us..."

"Hey, we're not done talking to you!"

The leader reached out to grab her, but was intercepted by Aomine, who's face was contorted with anger. "You are now," he growled, squeezing the thug's wrist until he cried out in pain. Tossing him to the ground, he protectively wrapped an arm around Momoi's waist and pressed a kiss to her temple, his eyes narrowed into a glare. On the other side of the pinkette, Kuroko stepped in front of her, blocking most of her from the delinquents' view.

Coming up from behind, Midorima gingerly rested a hand on Sayuri's shoulder, while Kise's arms snaked around her body, his head resting on hers. "Now I suggest you leave, before we get serious," the blonde threatened, his sugary sweet voice dripping with menace, and when the delinquents didn't immediately move, he released the girl to take a step closer to them, making them flinch. "I said _leave_ ," he barked and the punks quickly scrambled to escape.

Once they were gone, the girls visibly relaxed, sighing with relief. "Thanks guys," Sayuri smiled, gratefully, as she looked at her friends, "it really helps that you guys are monstrously huge."

"No worries, Sayuricchi. Glad our sizes could be useful for something outside of basketball," Kise grinned as Kuroko patted her back, reassuringly.

Removing his hand, Midrorima coughed. "Akashi would have our heads if something ever happened to you," he muttered under his breath, too soft for the girl to hear but loud enough that Kise caught it and the blonde cringed in agreement, well aware of how terrifying the redhead could get.

"Anyway, we should head to my house, we've been here for a while," Kuroko mentioned, pointing to the setting sun and the group quickly they made their way to his house. They arrived in no time and once inside, Sayuri immediately flopped down onto his couch. As the others made themselves comfortable, the bluenette pulled out his phone, already punching in the number of their favorite pizza place. "Should we get the usual — Meat Lovers, Genovese, and Lasagna, yeah?"

"Make sure they're all extra-large!" Aomine shouted, lying down so that his head rested in his girlfriend's lap, "And can you get some chicken wings and fries too?"

Sayuri shook her head, always amazed at the amount of food her friends could consume. "And who's going to pay for all of that?" she asked, raising her brows.

"Obviously Kise- _kun_ ," Kuroko declared, the tone in his voice not leaving any room for argument, "He just finished a huge modeling gig, so he should have plenty to share. Right?"

The blonde sprang up from his seat in protest only to immediately plop back down with a pout after one look from his boyfriend, and the bluenette left to place the order. When the food arrived, they piled slices of pizza and sides onto their plates before settling into their seats to watch a movie. Watching one film after another, it was well into the night when Kuroko realized how late it was. "Momoi- _san_ , Nekomata- _san_ , why don't you stay for the night?" he suggested, stifling a yawn, "I know you two live the farthest and everyone else is already sleeping over anyway, so it's not too much trouble."

Momoi squealed with delight, and she pounced on the boy, crushing him to her chest in a hug. "Thanks, Tetsu- _chan_!" she gushed, "but we don't have any extra clothes to change into."

"Don't worry, you can borrow some of mine," Kuroko offered and without another word, he headed down the hallway to his room. They heard the sound of running water and the opening and closing of drawers before he reappeared with a clean shirt and a pair of shorts for the both of them. "Why don't you girls go first," he said, handing each of them a towel, "I've already started the bath."

Nodding, Momoi linked her arms with her best friend. "Let's go, Sayucchin! We have much to talk about!" the pinkette giggled, and the two headed towards the bathroom for some much needed girl time.

\-----

Aomine waited until he heard the  _click_ of the door shutting close before he turned towards the others. "So," he whispered, conspiratorially, so that the girls couldn't hear him, "how much do you guys want to bet that Sayuri and Akashi are going to get back together? Because we all know how much they love each other."

"I'm sure she loves him and he loves her," Kuroko hummed and Aomine's dark blue eyes lit up with excitement — only for it to be squashed by his friend's next words. "But it's hard to say if either are  _in_ love with the other."

Crossing his arms over his chest, the power forward frowned. "Oh come on, Tetsu! Don't give me that!"

"Yeah, Kurokocchi, they talk almost every day — and not through just text, but video and phone calls too! And it's obvious that he treats her in a special way because he talks to her differently than he does us!" Kise added, looking at his boyfriend incredulously.

The bluenette just shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "I don't know...," he murmured, "I mean, it's clear that they're special to each other, but it could be that they just care for each other as friends."

"Kise's right, Tetsu," Aomine said, nodding his head, "Remember the last time we all video chatted together? He got so upset when Sayuri mentioned how close she was with the boys on her school's volleyball team. _Just_ friends don't get jealous like that." Extending his arm, he gestured towards the bathroom the girls were in. "And her! Sure, Sayuri's friendlier and less reserved than others, but whenever she's with Akashi, it's like she can't be more than 1 cm away from him.  _Just_ friends don't act like that!"

His gold eyes wide and sparkling, Kise waggled his brows. "So, are we going to try and get them back together?" he asked, "If we are, we need to hurry, before one of those volleyball dorks steals her heart!"

Brows furrowed, Midorima frowned, squashing the blonde's excitement. "While it does seem that Akashi has...feelings of something more than "just friends" towards Nekomata," he conceded, "whether or not that's true, I don't think it's a good idea to meddle with their relationship,  _nanodayo_."

"Midorimacchi, think about it!" Kise exclaimed, his hands slamming down onto the table, "Don't you think both of them would be so much happier if they were dating again?" 

However, any reply from the green-haired boy was cut off by the sound of giggling emerging from the bathroom. The boys went quiet as Sayuri and Momoi entered the living room clad in their borrowed clothes, towels wrapped around their hair.

Wary of the sudden silence that had befallen her friends, Sayuri's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you guys talking about?" she asked, looking around the group.

"Nothing," Kuroko said as he glared at the other boys, getting up to shower, "Nothing at all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Time Crisis is the shits. My favorite arcade game FO SURE. Plus, I figured Momoi would be bad ass at it since she's so analytical.
> 
> NOTE 2: Their pizza order is based off the Domino's® menu in Japan.


	17. Late Night Phone Calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say first loves never last...right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: August 26, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

It was a lazy Sunday, the night before the first day of practices at Nekoma and for the past several hours, Sayuri had flittered about her house doing various chores before settling down on the floor to fold her laundry. 

A soft  _ding_  from her phone alerted her of a text message and she got up from her seat, stretching the muscles that had stiffened from sitting so long. Laundry day was the worst, in her opinion, and while it needed to be done in order for her to get ready for the upcoming week, she welcomed whatever distraction came her way.

Walking over to her desk, making sure to avoid the neat piles of clothes she had worked so hard on, she opened up the text to read the message:

~~~~~ 

From:  **Sei  
** To:  **Sayu**

_Hey Sayu, hope you're not too busy?_

_Sorry I didn't respond earlier_

~~~~~ 

Sayuri smiled down at her phone, her fingers already tapping away at the keyboard, when it began buzzing in her hand. Without having to check the ID, she knew who it was and immediately answered the call. "Hey! I was just about to reply," she greeted as she propped her cell against her ear with her shoulder, leaving her hands free to continue with her chores, "Is everything ok?"

"Hello to you too, Sayu," Akashi murmured, his voice soft but filled with mirth, "And everything's fine, I just called to chat since it's been a while. I didn't mean to worry you."

"Considering we talk on the phone all the time, a few days  _is_ a while," she chuckled, tossing her trainers and cheer shoes into her duffle bag, before heading across the room to begin packing her clothes, "But I am glad you called — it's nice hearing your voice."

"And yours as well."

Glad that he couldn't see the blush growing on her cheeks, she giggled nervously. "Anyway, how's your dad? He came to visit, right?" she asked, separating a stack of clothes, with one half going into her overnight bag and the other half going into her dresser.

Akashi sighed in frustration and she heard the creak of his bed under his weight as he sat down. "Father's been in Kyoto since Wednesday, which is why I've been busy the past few days, and he's dragged me to endless meetings with current and potential investors."

"Sounds tiring," Sayuri mumbled and she could almost picture the frown on the boy's face. She knew how tense things were between Akashi and his father, and though they were on better terms than when he was in middle school, the two were still uncomfortable around each other. "But I'm sad that I missed seeing you in a suit," she joked, in hopes of lightening the mood, "I'm sure you looked handsome!"

There was a pause on the other end of the line before she heard him clear his quietly clear his throat. "Thanks Sayu," he grumbled, "though I believe most people look more attractive when formally dressed."

"Just take the compliment, Sei," she teased, laughing as she finished putting away the rest of her clothes into her dresser. "So when does he leave?"

"He leaves early tomorrow, but I'm planning on going with him," Akashi explained, "He wants to take me to a few of the bigger branches to meet with their supervisors and get a feel of things for when I take over the family business."

His words sinking in, Sayuri almost dropped her phone in surprise. "Wait," she gasped, "does that mean you'll be in Tokyo for a bit?!"

"Yes, we'll be taking the train there first thing tomorrow morning," he affirmed, much to her delight, "There are several meetings at the main branch that father wants me to sit in on before we head to the others."

In her excitement, she dumped the rest of her things into her duffle bag, ruining any sense of organization she originally had. "Geez, Sei, you should have told me sooner!" she pouted, though it didn't take long for it to be replaced with a huge grin, "How long are you going to be in Tokyo? Do you think you'll be busy the whole time? If you happen to have some free time, let's meet up! Oh, but don't worry if you can't, I know you'll be busy with meetings and stuff —"

"Whoa, Sayu, slow down," Akashi chuckled, "One thing at a time, please."

Sayuri took a deep breath to try to calm herself and ruffled her hair while she gathered her thoughts. "Sorry, I just...," she finally said, softly, "want to see you, Sei. I really miss having you here with me." However, as soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them instantly; he had much more important things on his mind and she was just being selfish.

"Sayu..." he murmured, his voice thick with something Sayuri couldn't place, but made her heart race all the same, "I — "

"No, no, don't worry! You don't have to say anything," she quickly interrupted, cutting him off before he could confuse her feelings even more, "You're busy with basketball, school, and whatever work your father gives you, so it's only understandable that you don't have time to visit. I've been pretty busy myself," she reassured him,  "Just don't overwork yourself, ok?"

Another chuckle came from the other line, this time somewhat sad. "Look who's talking."

"The only reason I'd be overworked is because I have to watch out for your health as well as mine," Sayuri huffed, plopping onto her bed, "I mean, if you're not going to do it, someone has to!" 

Akashi hummed in appreciation as she made herself comfortable, kicking away her covers since the air in her room was still stuffy despite opening the window. "So what are you up to now? I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

She welcomed the subject change and glanced at the duffle bag next to her door. "I just finished packing my things for this week's training camp, which is being held at Nekoma, the school _Ji_ - _ji_ coaches for. And since I'm such a loving granddaughter, I spent most of today helping him and his team prepare everything," she groaned, trying to rub the kinks out of her neck.

The Nekoma boys were a fun bunch, but it was almost impossible to get anything done because they kept getting distracted by the littlest things. Thank god for Yaku and Kai, who kept everyone else in check, and Kenma, for taking charge of the man-child that was their captain; without them, Sayuri would have pulled out all her hair in frustration.

"How sweet of you," the redhead murmured, "And how is _Ji_ - _j_ i?"

Rolling onto her side, Sayuri sighed. "He's doing well. Still causing trouble and always dragging me along with his crazy ideas," she grumbled, "You know I can't refuse the old man."

"He is quite the charmer," Akashi teased, his voice lilting, "I can see where you get it from." He always had a way with words such that his insults sounded more like compliments — but she knew better than to fall for his traps.

"Sei..," she warned without much heat and she heard him laugh in response. Her lips twitched into a smile at the sound: it was one of his rare, genuine laughs that only their group were privy to. "Oh, by the way, Shizuko  _nee_ - _san_  gave me and Sacchan some accessories for work! They're so cute that we're even thinking of making it a permanent part of the uniform!"

"Oh?" he asked, curiosity in his voice, "And what are they?"

"Hang on, I'll send you a picture!" Looking through the many photos Kise had taken, she selected her favorite one and sent it his way, eagerly waiting for his reply. A few seconds passed, with only the sounds of him breathing coming from the other end, and she grew worried. "Sei, is something wrong?" she asked when he didn't respond, "Did something happen?"

Another moment passed and she heard him cough. "Ah, my apologies. I was...," Akashi murmured with a slight growl, "momentarily distracted. Regarding your new accessories, I don't think it's a good idea to wear them all the time."

Not expecting his reaction, the girl frowned. "You don't think we look cute?" she pouted, her voice dripping with hurt.

"Sayu, you know it's that," he reassured her, "You look very cute. It's just that — "

"Then I don't see the problem!" she shouted quietly, immediately feeling bad for her outburst; she didn't know why she was so annoyed and hurt at his rejection, but it wasn't right to take it out on him. "Sorry, Sei," she apologized, "I didn't mean to yell. I guess I'm just tired from the long day."

"Don't worry, we should probably get some rest anyway, as you and I have busy days ahead of us. I'll talk to you later, ok?" Akashi crooned softly, his deep voice lulling her to sleep.

A yawn involuntarily spilled from her lips and Sayuri reached over to turn off her lamp. "Mmhmm, good night, Sei," she whispered, her eyes closing as slumber quickly took a hold of her, "I really do miss you."

"And I, as well. Sweet dreams, Sayu."

* * *

___♫__ He's the sovereign of the nation; he's the hippest cat in creation; he's the alpha, the omega, a to z...  _ _♫___

Kise rolled over, groaning as he saw the numbers  _00:47_  flash on his clock. He fumbled for his phone on the table next to him and squinted at the blinding screen.

"Akashicchi, why'd you call?" Kise whined, rubbing his eyes, "I had just fallen asleep!" He had basketball practice in the morning, along with a photo shoot in the afternoon, and he wanted to get as much rest as possible.

"Ryouta, this picture that you took of Sayu and Satsuki at Shizuko-san's café," Akashi growled, his vow low and filled with menace, "who else has seen it?"

Now wide awake, the blonde gulped, shooting up from his bed. "Shizukocchi and I were the only ones taking pictures — and we were using Sayuricchi and Momocchi's phones!" he admitted, sweat that had nothing to do with the summer heat beading on his forehead, "I think Aominecchi snuck in a few shot as well, but that's because Momocchi's his girlfriend! Like hell he'd show people just how cute she can be; she's already got enough people ogling her, as is." 

Of course, Kise wasn't going to mention the other two boys who were there to witness the girls' outfits.

He wanted to  _live_.

Met with silence, Kise held his breath, praying to every god out there until he heard Akashi sigh. "Well let's keep it that way," the redhead responded curtly, before hanging up.

Kise stared at his phone, his heart beating rapidly from narrowly escaping the other boy's wrath. With the danger past him, he flopped back down and placed his phone onto his bedside table — but not before setting it to  _Do Not Disturb_  mode.

He didn't want to risk another dance with death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHOA this was pretty fluff-heavy. Now that we've moved onto the second phase of the story, and since we've established everyone's "crushes" on our heroine, I think I'm going to start writing more romantic and fluff-filled chapters. We'll see...
> 
> NOTE 1: Kise's ringtone for Akashi is from the opening song to the movie _The Emperor's New Groove_


	18. A New Rival Appears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise visit from the ex sets things in motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: August 28, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

Sayuri yawned as she stretched her body, raising her arms above her head and letting out a soft moan when she heard the pop of her joints. It was early in the morning and she, along with the Nekoma team, were waiting for the other schools to arrive after waking up at the crack of dawn to prepare for their guests.

Being so close, Fukurodani showed up first, and, as usual, Bokuto was already filled to the brim with excitement despite the early hour. "HEY, HEY, HEY, Sayuri- _chan_!" he shouted, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Bokuto- _san_ ," she wheezed, barely able to breathe because of the boy's strength, "Good morning to you too".

Fortunately, he quickly released her and ran off to greet his best bro, the two immediately annoying an already irritated Kenma next to them with their loud shouts. Akaashi, on the other hand, wasn't fully awake yet, with his hair even more of a mess than usual and his dark blue eyes half-closed. Walking up to her, he raised a hand to her cheek, his fingers lingering on her skin as he brushed away stray tendrils of hair from her face, and Sayuri's heart threatened to beat out of her chest when he gave her a small, sleepy smile.

Their tender moment was interrupted by a quiet cough, and the two turned their heads to see Kenma. With a nod of acknowledgement to the other boy, Nekoma's setter sidled up close to the girl's side, gently placing a hand on her back and guiding her away.

"Come on, Sayuri," Kenma muttered as Akaashi only raised his brows, not looking at either of them, "The Miyagi teams just arrived."

With a small wave to the raven-haired boy, she left to greet Karasuno and Seijoh, with Shiratorizawa right behind them. Their enthusiasm rivaling Bokuto's, she was met with animated shouts from Hinata, Goshiki, Nishinoya, and Tanaka as they reunited with their Tokyo friends. Scurrying after them, the team moms hastily ushered their children towards the school building, with Iwaizumi dragging his man-child of a boyfriend as he led the way. 

Amongst the group of boys trailing behind, Sayuri spotted her childhood friend and made her way over to his side. Linking her arm through his, she leaned her head against him and sighed. "Good morning, Toshi- _kun_ ," she murmured before glancing at his teammates, "Morning guys!" 

"Olololo?" Tendou cackled as the other third-years waved in response, "If it isn't Neko- _chan_!"

Hiking his bag higher onto his shoulder, Ushijima reached over to gently ruffle Sayuri's hair. "Morning, Sayu," he replied, his voice still rough with sleep, and he rubbed his eyes with his free hand, "Sorry for not texting back."

"You better be!" she huffed with a pout, leaning back to stare accusingly into his olive eyes, "I bet you were practicing late again. You need to stop pushing yourself so much or you'll get hurt."

The ace's eyes softened and he gave her a small smile — effectively waking up his lethargic teammates. "I apologize. I will take better care of myself," he reassured her, still gazing into her eyes to emphasize his point.

Satisfied with his answer, she nodded her head and released his arm, running over to stand next to Akaashi and Kenma as the coaches informed everyone of their sleeping quarters. Glancing back over her head at the Shiratorizawa captain, the two second-years inched closer to the girl in between them until they were blocking her from his view.

Ushijima's eyes narrowed at the two while Tendou mockingly patted his back. "Looks like Miracle-Boy Wakatoshi's got some competition!" he teased, quickly walking away to avoid any punishment.

* * *

"Nice kill!"

The first day of training camp at Nekoma was already in full swing, beginning with practice matches between the participating schools. Surveying the court in front of her, Sayuri watched as her schooled faced their current opponent, Seijoh, swelling with pride as the owl ace scored a point.

"HEY, HEY, HEY!" Bokuto exclaimed, fist pumping in the air. 

Even though he wasn't even on the same court, Kuroo stuck his tongue out at his friend before cupping his hands around his mouth to shout at Oikawa. "Get your head out of your ass, Pretty Boy!" he yelled, earning glares from the coaches, "And then, make this annoying owl shut up!"

Coming up from behind, Iwaizumi slapped his boyfriend on the back, _hard_ , making the setter cough. "Just do what we usually do," he grunted as he stared at the other buff ace through the net, "Let me take this challenge."

"Iwa- _chan_ , I love you!" the setter squealed, hearts in his eyes.

Sayuri giggled at their usual antics, quickly dissolving into another yawn. After everyone had arrived and dropped off their things into their designated rooms, the five teams immediately set out for a warm-up run. She had joined them in hopes of waking herself up, but even the fast pace Ushijima had set for them only held the fatigue at bay for so long, and now that she was just sitting around, it was hitting her with full force.

"Someone's tired," Suzumeda said, handing her a cup filled with warm liquid and sitting down beside her. "Here, have some tea." 

Wrapping both hands around the mug and reveling in its warmth, Sayuri smiled. "Thanks Kaori," she said in between sips as the two girls lapsed into a comfortable silence, watching the ongoing matches.

The rest of the morning passed by quickly and in no time, the lunch break rolled around. With the help of some of the assistant coaches, the girls had cooked up a nutritional feast while  ~~barely~~ managing to keep Shirofuku from devouring it all. Trays in hand, they split up to sit with their schoolmates and Sayuri found herself a seat at the end of the table Fukurodani shared with Nekoma. Plopping down next to Akaashi, she gave the raven-haired boy a blinding smile before turning to the managers across from her to chatter away about trivial things.

Her back facing the door, Sayuri missed when her grandfather left the room, only to return accompanied by a new face. Curious gossip broke out throughout the cafeteria and the ravenette felt someone nudge her foot under the table.

" _Ne_ , Sayu- _nyan_ ," Shirofuku whispered loudly as she leaned forward, pointing towards the door and the stranger, "who's that —"

Turning her head, Sayuri choked on the bite of rice she was in the middle of chewing when she recognized the boy.

"Sei?!"

His red eyes falling on her, Akashi smiled. "Hey there, Sayu, nice to —"

Before he could finish, the girl shot up from her seat, her chair falling onto the floor as she ran towards the boy and threw herself into his waiting arms.

The cafeteria grew silent, shocked by the girl's reaction and confused by the unknown visitor. Meanwhile, three boys in the room grew tense at the arrival of the possible rival: Kenma shut his game, staring at the scene before him with narrowed eyes; Akaashi nervously fiddled with his fingers under the table, his mouth shut in a tight frown; his expression more serious than usual, Ushijima clenched his fists at his side, his knuckles turning white.

"Sei!" Sayuri gasped, burrowing her face into his chest and she felt him tighten his hold on her, "Why are you here?!"

"To see you, of course," he murmured quietly, making the girl blush; turning slightly, he bowed his head in gratitude at the old man next to them. "Thank you allowing me to visit and for coming to get me, _Ji_ - _ji_."

Slapping the redhead's back, the older Nekomata waved away the boy's thanks. "Glad you could stop by, Seijuro- _kun_ ," he chuckled, returning to his seat without another word.

Sayuri quickly grabbed the boy's hands, pulling him towards her table and guiding him into the seat next to hers, a huge smile on her face as she gestured to her friend. "Everyone, this is Akashi Seijuro," she explained, "We went to middle school together!"

Akashi nodded at the chorus of  _hellos_ that greeted him. "It's a pleasure to meet you all," he replied, nonchalantly throwing an arm around Sayuri's shoulder and giving it a noticeable squueze, earning curious glances and a few glares.

"So this is the ex, huh?" Kuroo muttered, too quiet for others to hear but loud enough for the two boys next to him; while Kenma had been somewhat prepared since he had heard about the boy through Sayuri's other middle school friends, Akaashi was floored. In disbelief, the raven-haired boy whipped his head towards the third-year with wide eyes, trying his hardest to stop his lips from twisting into a scowl.

"What do you mean?" he asked, through clenched teeth, careful not to show too much of the emotion burning within him.

Leaning close, the middle-blocker smirked. "Whoa there tiger, don't get mad at me," he teased, earning a kick in the shin from his best friend. "Ow, Kenma, what was that for?" he winced, only to be ignored, and he sighed. "Anyway, I mean exactly what I said. Neko- _chan_ used to date that guy all throughout middle school, but then broke up with him because he went to a high school in Kyoto. Heard it from her other friends and they all think he still loves her."

Turning his glare onto the redhead, Akaashi almost growled. "Well if she's already broken up with him, he should learn to keep his hands to —"

"Sei, aren't you supposed to be at the main branch?" Sayuri unknowingly interrupted, ignoring her  _senpai'_ s questioning stare as she pushed her  _miso_ soup and an  _onigiri_ in front of him for him to eat. 

"Thanks, Sayu, I'm famished," Akashi replied with a grateful smile. "I told Father that I had some business to attend to during lunch so I promptly left right after the morning meetings were finished."

She reached out and playfully tugged on his tie, glancing at his outfit with immediately approval. "That explains the suit," she murmured, her hand moving to smooth the lapels on his jacket, "You're looking dapper, as always." And it was true: he was clothed in a dark gray suit with black loafers, that contrasted against his pale skin, and a blood red tie around his neck that matched his hair and piercing eyes.

Realizing that he had caught her staring, she ducked her head in embarrassment, only for him to poke her in the side. When she looked up to protest, he swiftly popped a piece of food into her mouth, his fingers lingering on her lips and making her heart race. Too distracted by the boy in front of her, she missed his subtle glance at the three glaring at him, his mouth twitching into a victorious smirk.

"So..." Shirofuku purred, resting her chin in her hand as she licked her lips, "Akashi- _kun_ , tell us more about yourself."

"Yukie- _senpai_ , do you need some water for that thirst?" Sayuri snorted, quickly dodging a kick from the older girl, "Anyway, like I said, Sei is one of my closest friends from Teiko and he, along with Ryouta and the rest of the guys in our group, were starters on the basketball team."

"Whhhoooooaaaaaaa!" Bokuto shouted, his owlish eyes growing even wider, "If you were a starter with Kise, you must be really good!"

The ravenette puffed her chest out proudly. "He's not just good — he's amazing!" she huffed, "Sei was vice-captain his first-year and captain for the other two years at Teiko. Not to mention he's also currently the captain at Rakuzan High!"

"Like you're one to talk — "

"Rakuzan High?" Konoha sputtered, jumping into the conversation as he slammed his hands onto the table, "You mean the one in Kyoto?!" 

Raising a brow, Akashi nodded. "You're familiar with the school's reputation?"

The wing-spiker was known as a jack-of-all-trades, which carried over to most sports — including basketball. Just as he did with volleyball, Konoha closely followed the high school basketball circuit and knew all too well of the powerhouse's reputation. "They're the defending champion of the Winter Cup for the past five years and the school who's won the most tournaments!" he gasped, waving his arms frantically in the air, "You guys were also the winners of this year's Interhigh championships!"

Murmurs of amazement broke out across the room as people realized the skills the redhead possessed: how great must someone be to be the captain of such a powerhouse school  _as a first-year_?

"You're quite...well-informed," Akashi praised, surprised at the older boy's knowledge and the two quickly launched into further discussion — more so one-sided than anything as Konoha bombarded the former with questions about his team. 

Meanwhile, Shirofuku wove her fingers together and rested her chin on her hands, her eyes appraising the high-spec male before her. Though she didn't know how her _kohai_ felt about the boy, it was obvious that he was in love with the girl next to him, given the loving looks he sent her way and the cold stares he unleashed on the boys around her. It was also hard to miss the longing gazes of a few volleyball nerds nearby, and she could barely contain her excitement.

Things were getting interesting.

* * *

By the time Sayuri had finished her food, only a few people remained in the cafeteria, as the second half of the day's practices were about to begin. Next to her, Shirofuku and Konoha were still drilling Akashi with questions, which he courteously answered like the gentleman he was, while the captains had gathered to discuss goals for the upcoming week. In between the two groups sat Akaashi and Kenma, the former quietly watching the Nekoma setter play a game on his console.

Glancing at his watch, Akashi held up a hand in apology, cutting off whatever the Fukurodani manager was saying. "Sorry, Shirofuku- _san_ ," he bowed as he stood up, "As much as I would love to continue chatting with Sayu's friends, I must take my leave." However, instead of moving towards the door, he came up from behind Sayuri and placed his hands on her shoulders, bending down to press a lingering kiss to her cheek before his lips brushed upwards along her jaw until they hovered near her ear. "It was nice seeing you, Sayu," he whispered, his breath sending shivers down her spine, "I'll call you later, ok?" Without waiting for an answer, the redhead swiftly walked out — though not before throwing a warning glance and a smirk to a certain cat, owl, and eagle.

After a few moments of shocked silence, the ravenette covered her reddening face with her hands, excusing herself before bolting out the door, immediately followed by the two Fukurodani managers.

"Damn, that was pretty smooth," Kuroo whistled when the girls had left, and three boys silently accepted the red-head's challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The testosterone is heavy in this one...
> 
> Sorry that this chapter is a little all over the place. I just wanted to make it known that Akaashi, Kenma, and Ushijima all know about each other's crush. Plus this chapter also introduces Akashi as a rival!


	19. Summer Heat, Boy & Girl Meet...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...But Oh, Oh the Summer Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: September 9, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

The day passed by quickly and Sayuri found herself roaming around the school grounds, humming a nondescript tune as she enjoyed the warm summer night. The girls had just finished cleaning up the kitchens and hanging the day's laundry, but what had tired her out the most was the constant prodding of her  _senpai_  since lunch, and only now did she find a chance to escape.

As she rounded the corner of the building, she noticed that the gym lights were still on and upon moving closer, could hear the tell-tale squeaks of volleyball shoes against the court. Cracking open the doors, she peeked inside to catch Ushijima mid jump serve, the ball slamming into the floor on the other side of the net with a reverberating  _thud_.

_Of course he's still practicing_ , she thought with a shake of her head, slipping inside.

At the sound of her footsteps, the ace turned around, his brows raised when he realized who it was. "Sayu," he chided as she walked towards him, "You shouldn't be wandering around so late at night."

The girl's initially joyful expression turned sour and, when she stood in front of him, she rested a hand on her jutted hip. "Toshi- _kun_ , it's fine," she huffed, waving away his concerns, "We're still at school and our room isn't that far. Plus I can take care of myself."

"..."

"...Maybe," she conceded as she avoided his intense stare, stomping away to plop down onto a nearby bench.

Trailing behind the girl, Ushijima sat next to her but was ignored, and his chest tightened; they were finally alone together and he didn't want to spend that time with her upset. What made things worse was that his mind kept wandering back to the unwanted lunchtime visitor, his blood boiling at how the redhead had basically declared to everyone that she was his, despite the fact that he had no right in doing so.

And while he didn't want to admit it, he was also extremely jealous.

But Ushijima wasn't one for sweet nothings or fleeting touches, so he did the only thing he knew best; dropping to his knees in front of her, he placed the volleyball he was holding into her lap and looked up into her gray eyes. When she turned her head, he reached up to cup her face, holding it so that she couldn't look away. "Sayu, toss to me," he begged, his voice soft, "Please?"

Sayuri melted at his plea, unable to refuse him. It was impossible, really, especially when he reminded her of her when they were younger. Lightly flicking his forehead, her lips twitched into a grin. ""Since you asked so nicely, I guess I have no choice!" she teased, springing up and swiping the ball from his grip.

"I need to toss the ball to you first," Ushijima informed her, just as she got to the net, and she stuck her tongue out in jest before pitching it to him. Internally relieved that she seemed to be in a better mood, he took a few strides back after catching the ball. "Are you ready?"

"Let's do this!"

At her nod he lobbed the ball into the air, spending no time in beginning his approach, confident in the girl's skills. As he expected, by the time he soared into the air, the ball was waiting for him, ready to be slammed into the ground on the other side of the net.

"Nice kill, Toshi- _kun_!"  Sayuri cheered, skipping over to give him a high-five. Scratching her cheek she bit her lip. "I was worried for a second there that the last time was just a fluke but I guess it's muscle memory at this point."

Shaking his head, Ushijima grabbed another ball from the basket. "Don't worry," he reassured her, patting her head with his free hand, "that was a nice toss, Sayu." 

The ravenette beamed in response. "Let's keep playing!" she gushed, and the two continued tossing and spiking until they had emptied the cart.

When the last ball bounced against the far wall of the gym, Sayuri flopped down onto the court, panting. "Geez, Toshi- _kun_ , you aren't one of the country's top three aces for nothing!" the girl giggled, breathlessly, reaching out to poke her friend who had sat beside her, "But thanks for playing with me, even though I probably wasted your time. My mind's been a mess since today was...interesting," she mumbled, a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks that had nothing to do with her physical exertion, "This was definitely a welcomed distraction."

"It wasn't a waste of time," Ushijima murmured, though he found himself scowling at her words as he fumed over the possibly-more-than-friends relationship between the redhead and his childhood friend.

How she had thrown herself into the boy's arms without hesitation.

How close he sat to her, their shoulders brushing every time one of them moved.

All the longing looks he sent her way when she wasn't looking and the possessive glares he gave the others, who even so much as looked at her.

And how he had kissed her on the cheek, leaving with a smug grin on his face.

Infuriated, he reached out and grabbed her hand without thinking, lacing his fingers with hers. For a split second, she stiffened at his touch, but it quickly passed and she squeezed back tightly. But before he had time to process her response, she suddenly sprang up and leaned towards him, despite having been exhausted just moments before. "Umm...Sayu?" he almost stuttered in shock, confused by her gray sparkling eyes and how her body was almost shaking with excitement, "Is something the matter?"

"Come on, Toshi- _kun_ , let's go!"

Confused, it took him a moment to react to her yanking him to his feet and dragging him towards the door; snapping out of it, he dug his heels into the ground and the two came to a grinding halt. "Wait," he said more firmly, releasing one of her hands to gesture at the sea of volleyballs scattered across the court, "We need to clean this up."

"Fine," Sayuri pouted, quickly grabbing one near her feet before collecting the rest. With a low chuckle, Ushijima followed suit, and before long, everything was put away. After locking the gym doors behind them, she pulled him by the hand until they reached the cafeteria, and she turned to him with a sneaky smile on her lips.

"Let's have a snack!"

* * *

The night was quiet as the two sat on the steps of a nearby staircase, popsicles in hand.

When she had gone grocery shopping with Yaku and Kai, Sayuri had snuck in a box of her favorite popsicles and hid them in the cafeteria's freezer, careful to make sure that they were safe from hungry eyes; since her grandfather had left the key with her, it wasn't too much of a  fuss to slip inside and grab the icy treats. Their mouths preoccupied with the snack, they slipped into a comfortable silence, something which Ushijima greatly appreciated — the girl didn't bother filling the air with small talk and was content with just being with him, something that would make most people feel uneasy.

With his popsicle already done, the ace looked over at the girl next to him. Ever since childhood, she had been a slow eater and with the warm night air adding to it, her popsicle had started to rapidly melt. He watched as she fervently licked the treat in long strokes, occasionally wrapping her lips around the whole thing and pulling it back out with a  _pop._

He gulped.

The liquid dripped down the stick onto her hand and he couldn't look away as she carefully licked each finger, her mouth grazing the skin as her tongue darted in and out to lap the juice.

_Was she trying to torture him?!_

Ushijima made an almost strangling noise as he tugged at his shirt's collar and Sayuri looked at him quizzically, tilting her head in question. "Toshi- _kun_ , are you alr—?"

One moment they were quietly enjoying each other's company and the next, her words were cut off as he suddenly leaned forward, their noses almost touching. She was frozen, trapped by the boy's intense gaze, her popsicle steadily dripping down her hand into a puddle on the floor.

If her brain had been working properly, she could have sworn that he wanted to kiss her...

... _But why would he want to do that?_

While she remained at a loss for words, Ushijima reached up and gently cupped her cheek to caress it with his thumb, rubbing the spot where Akashi's lips had touched it earlier as if he could somehow wipe away the existence of the other boy's kiss. After a few tense seconds, he leaned back, slowly dropping his gaze and hand to his lap.

Sayuri let out a shaky breath she didn't know she was holding. By now, the last of her popsicle was a puddle on the floor and she took out a few tissues from her pocket to wipe it up, using it as a chance to gather her bearings. "Uh-umm, Toshi- _kun_?" she stuttered, her voice trembling as she crumpled the tissue in her hand, "What, uh, was that all about?"

"You had...something on your cheek," the ace explained, his voice thick. The ravenette's head snapped up in disbelief, but he swiftly avoided her eyes. "It was dark, so I had to lean in to make sure I got it all."

It was obvious to her that he was lying, but didn't question it further.

She  _couldn't_.

Sensing her distress, Ushijima gently grasped her hands and unfurled her fists, taking the trash from her and standing up to throw it away in a nearby garbage can. "Why don't you wash your hands in that fountain over there and I'll walk you back to your room," he suggested, finally glancing at her, though fleeting.

With a stiff nod, she did as she was told and they headed upstairs; when they reached the fork in the hallway where they would go their separate ways, Sayuri gave him a fleeting hug and ran off in the direction of her room, not sparing a backward's glance. She was out of breath when she arrived and her heart was beating loudly in her ears. Taking several breaths before quietly entering, the girl braced herself for the onslaught of questions that was bound to come from her  _senpai_ regarding her flustered state, but upon seeing that only Yachi was present, she sighed in relief.

"Sayuri- _san_! Where have you been? Kaori- _san_ , Yukie- _senpai_ , and Kiyoko- _senpai_ are already in the showers...," the Karasuno manager explained, but noticing the disheveled state of the girl, she paused. "Uh, Sayuri- _san?"_  she asked, carefully, "Are you alright? You look like you just ran a marathon!"

Bending at the waist, Sayuri rested her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "Ah, umm,  _huff,_ yes I'm,  _huff_ , alright," Sayuri lied in between pants, "I had to, _huff_ , help _Ji_ - _ji_ with something and,  _huff_ , then rushed over here when I saw,  _huff_ , how late it was."

None the wiser, Yachi grinned. "I see! Well then why don't we head to the showers together? It's always more fun with friends!" the blonde offered shyly before her face contorted into a panicked expression. "Oh but I completely understand if you don't want to! I mean we haven't really known each other for too long and you might not even consider me a friend...," she rambled, her face turning red.

"No, don't worry! I would love to," Sayuri reassured her, shaking her head. Gathering her stuff, she wrapped an arm around the other girl and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Let's go!"

As they made their way, the ravenette lost herself in their cheerful and friendly chatter, grateful for the distraction.

\-----

_What am I doing?_  

Ushijima always prided himself on his self-control, both on the court and off of it; after holding back for all these years, 8 to be exact, he had thought he'd fare better when it came to dealing with her. But with the appearance of her (maybe) ex looming over his head, something within him snapped...

...That and having to watch her eat her melting popsicle was just absolute  _torture_.

Running a hand through his hair, the ace heaved a sigh as he made his way back to Shiratorizawa's quarters; however, just when he was about to open the door, it swung open, revealing a wide-eyed Semi.

"Ugh," the setter grunted, slamming into his captain's chest, and he rubbed his nose as he looked up. "Oh hey there Wakatoshi — have you been practicing all this time?"

With a nod of his head, he moved aside to let his friend go, but was stopped by the boy's hand. "Is something wrong, Semi?" the ace asked, cocking a brow with a frown.

"You tell me," Semi shot back, crossing his arms over his chest, "You seem a little...," he grumbled, waving his hands around, "I don't know flustered?"

"Flustered?" Looking over the other boy's shoulder into the room they shared to make sure no one else had noticed his arrival, Ushijima jerked his head down the hallway. "Were you headed to the bathroom? I'll join you."

Turning on his heels, he didn't wait for the setter's response, confident that the boy would follow; sure enough, he immediately heard the other's footsteps and Semi soon fell in line with his captain. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

There was beat of silence as Ushijima tried to find the right words. "There is...something that I have always wanted, for many years, but have never tried to obtain it out of fear that it'd disappear the moment I tried to get closer to it," he eventually answered, "And so I was content with keeping it at an arm's length away so that no one would get hurt."

"But...," Semi pressed, sensing there was more.

"But recently, that...thing has somehow found it's way back and my thoughts are becoming consumed with it," he murmured, furrowing his brow, "And now I'm faced with the possibility that it might be taken away from me forever."

The two of them slipped into an awkward silence, with only the sounds of their slippers against the linoleum floor. When they reached the bathroom, Semi paused with one hand on the door and turned to his friend. "Well, maybe life is giving you another chance with this...thing," he finally murmured, tipping his head back with a serious look in his eyes, "Now it's all up to you: are you willing to finally fight for it or let it go — once and for all?"

And with that, the setter made his way inside, letting the door swing shut behind him and leaving his friend to ponder his words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OYA OYA, things are heating up ;)
> 
> NOTE: Title is from the song "Summer Nights" from the movie _Grease_


	20. Oh Crêpe! (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So, Pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo- _san_ , why are we here? And could you explain why you had to take me hostage?"
> 
> "Now now, Neko- _chan_ , Bo and I needed to make sure you came with us, as you are a pivotal part of this plan! Since I’ve experienced first-hand your baking skills, we’ve tasked you with making Yakkun's birthday cake."
> 
> "You basically kidnapped me and had me thrown over this guy’s shoulder just to have me _bake a fucking cake_?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: October 11, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

"So, Pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo- _san_ , why are we here?" Sayuri snapped, her voice low and threatening, "And could you  _please_  explain why you had to take me hostage?"

Currently, the girl found herself sandwiched between Kuroo and Bokuto in an empty classroom; sitting in a circle around them were the captains, vice-captains, and managers of each team, along with most of the Nekoma team.

The two had ambushed the poor and unsuspecting girl when she had finished her breakfast: Bokuto had charged at her, throwing her over his shoulder as Kuroo shouted to the other captains and vice-captains for an emergency meeting, motioning for the managers to follow as well. Once they arrived, the buff ace of Fukurodani had set her down, and the two third-years immediately flanked either of side her, preventing her escape.

"Neko- _chan_ , please be patient," Kuroo teased, ruffling her hair and earning a pinch in the side; rubbing the sore spot, he turned to his teammates who had just entered. "Before I begin, did you guys take care of Yakkun?"

"The first years are distracting him," Yamamoto explained, Fukunaga nodding silently beside him, "You should have seen Yaku- _san_ 's face when Lev asked him for help with his receives. I swear there were tears in his eyes."

Giving the second-years a thumbs up, the Nekoma captain turned to the group crowded around him. "I'm sure you all are wondering why I've gathered you here today," he began, scanning the confused faces, "but Yakkun's birthday is this weekend and we'd love it for all of you to celebrate it with us. Since tomorrow is the last night before the end of this week's camp, Bokuto and I were thinking of having some kind of party — and of course, your teams are invited as well!"

"But keep in mind that we want this to be a surprise!" Bokuto boomed, his body practically shaking with excitement.

On the other side of him, Akaashi frowned, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "Are you even able to keep something secret?" he wondered aloud.

"Sayuri- _chan_ , Aagkeshi's being mean!"

With all her might, the ravenette shoved the captain away with a hand to his face, an exasperating sigh slipping from her lips. "Bokuto- _san_ , please get off of me," she grunted before glaring at the other older boy next to her. "Look, it’s great that you want to celebrate Yaku-san’s birthday and all but it still doesn't explain why you had to carry me against my will instead of just letting me walk," she snapped as she gestured wildly in her annoyance.

Kuroo patted her knee, only making deepening the girl’s frown. "Now now, Neko- _chan_ , Bo and I needed to make sure you came with us, as you are a pivotal part of this plan! Since I’ve experienced first-hand your baking skills, we’ve tasked you with making Yakkun's birthday cake."

Sayuri looked at him, incredulously, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "You basically kidnapped me and had me thrown over this guy’s shoulder just to have me  _bake a fucking cake_?!" she sputtered, lunging at the third-year; luckily for him, Ushijima was quick to react and held her back.

"Thanks, Toshi- _kun_ ," she murmured with a smile at her childhood friend, before it morphed into a scowl when she looked between the two captains on either side of her. “You guys couldn’t have just asked me?! I would have gone along with it!”

"Well, I just wanted to carry you like that," Bokuto admitted unabashedly, though his bro at least had the decency to look somewhat guilty.

"Please, Sayuri- _sama_!" Kuroo begged, crawling to kneel in front of her and dragging the Fukurodani ace with him, “We will forever be in your debt!”

Rubbing her temples, the ravenette sighed in defeat. “Fine,” she groaned, “I’ll do it —“

The rest of her sentence was muffled as the two of them tackled her. "Geh!" she yelped, "Get off of me you big dufuses!" Thankfully, she was saved with both Kenma and Akaashi each took an arm and pulled her free while Ushijima squeezed in between Kuroo and Bokuto, clamping a hand on each of their legs to hold them in place.

A loud whistle from Daichi silenced the whines from the two, and he sent a warning glance their way before turning to the girl. "So, Sayuri, Kuroo told us captains that you work in a café," he said, clearing his throat, “is that true?”

"He did?" she queried, raising her eyebrows at Kuroo, who was not-so-subtly evading her gaze for some reason, "But yes, I do work at a café, a _cat_ café, that’s near my middle school. The owner is the aunt of one of my best friends and I help bake the pastries that they sell," she explained, perking up now that she was no longer a hostage.

"Wait, you said you used to go to Teiko, right?" Suga interjected, his eyes growing wide, "Isn’t there a cat café that's famous for their apple pies? _Meow-ther Nature_ , or something like that, was its name, I think…Is that the place?!" When she nodded, the silver-haired boy gasped. "You make those?!"

"Yup! I helped come up with the idea," she admitted, slightly embarrassed from all the praise, “But they’re nothing special.”

Kenma shook his head in disagreement. "I think they are," he added, surprising his teammates; they knew apple pie was their setter's favorite food and he was quite picky about it.

Sayuri bit her lip as her face began to blush. "Thanks, Kenma, but still —"

"You used to bake me cookies on my birthday when we were kids," Ushijima chimed in, further flustering the girl. When her head snapped to look at him, he just shrugged. "It's true. And your cookies were delicious," he remarked, unapologetically.

Seeing that the girl was at a loss for words, and internally hoping to get a test of her baking skills as well, Akaashi gave her a small smile. "Please don't feel obligated to do this, as we could always just buy a cake, but I'm sure everyone here would love it if you made it yourself." Poking her in the side, he leaned a little closer so that only she could hear. "Myself included."

Under the pressure of the imploring eyes staring at her, the ravenette sighed. "Alright, alright, but I'm only doing this for Yaku- _senpai_!" she grumbled, pointing a finger at the two captains who were still being detained by Ushijima, "You two owe me big time."

"Well in that case," Kuroo smirked mischievously, slapping his best friend on the back, "Since I'm so kind and wouldn't ask you to do this alone, I've volunteered Kenma to help you bake!"

Shocked by the older boy's sudden declaration, the setter just stared back with wide eyes and a look of disbelief on his face, but before he could object, the rooster-haired boy cut him off. "Now that we got that settled, let's discuss the details: the coaches have graciously permitted us the use of the cafeteria after dinner, as long as we finish up before midnight since we have to practice the next day. Kai and I will go out to get some drinks and snacks later tonight, so if you can spare any cash, that would be great. Other than that, just bring you and your teams and get ready to have fun!" he finished, giving his bro a high-five around Miyagi's top ace.

"Tetsu- _chan_ , what are we going to be doing at this party?" Oikawa asked, his question mirrored in the rest of the group's faces.

The middle blocker winked, ruffling the other's hair. "It's a surprise!" he exclaimed, ushering people out of the room. "Ok ok, let's get going. Don't want to leave everyone else waiting and wondering!"

As the group made their way to the gym, Sayuri sidled next to Kenma and pulled him aside. "Hey, sorry you had to get dragged into this with me. I understand if you don't want to help," she apologized, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

Sure, he was annoyed that he had been volunteered involuntarily, but a ~~big~~ little part of him was secretly happy. "No, I don't mind at all," he mumbled, scratching his cheek nervously, "Just, uh, let me know what you need and I'll, uh, tell Kuro. He can pick it up when he and Kai go to get snacks."

"You're the best!" the girl squealed, grabbing the boy's hands and squeezing them; luckily for him, she was too excited to notice when he stiffened at her touch.  "I'll text you the list of ingredients and let's meet in the kitchen at around 9 PM. See you then!"

Kenma's cheeks burned as she ran off to join the managers and he heard a snicker come from a shit-eating grin wearing Kuroo, who happened to pass by at that moment.

"Ooo a late night rendezvous!" the older boy teased, waggling his brows.

He was going to kill his best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out to be a lot longer than I expected so I split it into two parts!
> 
> NOTE 1: Title is a play on "Oh Crap!"


	21. Oh Crêpe! (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenma, on the other hand, thought otherwise: wisps of her hair had come loose from her braid and were now floating around her flour-covered face, which was tinged pink from working in the hot kitchen, giving her a rosy glow.
> 
> To him, she was beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: October 21, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

"Sayuri, I've got the ingredients. Hopefully, Kuro and Kai found everything you needed," Kenma huffed, out of breath, as he entered Nekoma's kitchens.

"Thanks, Kenma! Sorry that you had to carry everything," the ravenette apologized, flashing him a grateful smile as she took one of the heavy bags hanging from his arms and placing it on the counter to empty its contents. When everything had been spread out, she surveyed the groceries, taking stock. "Hmmm, looks like they got everything on the list I gave them," she confirmed, relieved, "Let's get started, shall we?"

Gathering the baking supplies she had gone back home to get while the boys were out buying ingredients, Sayuri slipped on a light yellow apron covered in cartoon cats before expertly twisting her long, black hair into a braid; when she was done, she handed the older boy a spare apron, watching as he clumsily knotted the strings, only for them to immediately come undone.

"Here, let me help you," she offered with a snicker, reaching for the strings that had fallen to his sides and swiftly tieing them together. When she was done, she gently pressed down on his shoulders, to which he immediately gave way to her touch, and began running her fingers through his hair, combing the two-toned strands and pulling them back into a loose ponytail.

"What are you —"

"Shh, just let me do this!" Sayuri chided, a teasing lilt in her voice and he could feel her breath fanning across his neck as she worked, sending a shiver down his spine, and he forced himself to stay still until she finished. "Okay, done!"

Awkwardly straightening his legs, keeping his back towards her to hide his burning cheeks, Kenma grabbed the cake recipe and buried his face into it. "Thanks," he mumbled peeking over the paper to look at the girl, "What should I do first?"

The bashful boy in front of her made her smile — it was a nice change from the overly-confident, almost arrogant, boys she called her best friends — and she couldn't help but want to tease him. Pulling the recipe sheet down, she leaned towards him to read it, silently chuckling at the way he flinched from her unexpected closeness. "So first, we need to preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celcius," she instructed, turning the oven on and setting the temperature, "Done. Now we have to whisk the wet ingredients together and sift the dry ingredients together, each in separate bowls. We also need to whisk the egg whites into a meringue mixture," she hummed, thinking it over; they had decided on making a fresh cream sponge cake topped with summer fruits along with a few apple pies as well, in return for Kenma's assistance.

Glancing up, she scanned the counter of groceries before turning to the second-year. "Kenma, can you combine the ingredients while I work on the egg whites?"

The setter nodded.  _That was easy enough, right?_

Each working on the tasks at hand, the two slipped into a comfortable silence, save for the low whir of the hand mixer and the clink of the whisk scraping against the metal bowl. They worked well together, one picking up where the other left off and soon the cakes were in the oven. While they baked, they turned their attention to the simple syrup and whipped cream; the simple syrup was the more straightforward task, and Sayuri assigned it to Kenma while she focused on the frosting, whipping together the fresh cream and confectioner's sugar and softly singing as she worked.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice when the older boy came up behind her to tap her shoulder and surprised by the abrupt interruption, the ravenette flinched, spraying them both with whipped cream. She fumbled as she tried to shut off the hand-mixer and when she finally stopped it, she dropped it into the bowl and spun around to face the boy behind her.

In the midst of the chaos, Kenma had tried to help the girl, but before he could do anything, she had managed to do it herself and he was now awkwardly stuck with his arms around her. His mind moving slower due to the confusion, he had no time to react when she suddenly turned towards him, her hands landing on his chest due to how close they were to each other, and he stiffened at her touch.

Her eyes wide, Sayuri took in the dollops of cream dotting the pudding-haired boy's nose and jaw and she brought a hand up to stifle her laughter — only to find that she had cream on her cheeks as well. "You have cream on your face," she attempted to deadpan, though her mouth wobbled as it threatened to break into a smile.

"I, uh, think you got the brunt of it," Kenma softly exhaled while he scanned her face, relaxing a bit as he chuckled. His eyes darted down to her lips for a split second before he looked away, and he grimaced in apology. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just going to tell you that I finished with the simple syrup so I took it off the heat to let it cool," he explained, reaching for the paper towel roll behind her. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Leaning forward, he unconsciously moved closer to her and without warning (and thinking on her part), the ravenette suddenly swiped her hand across his jaw, licking the cream off her fingers. "Mmmm, tasty—"

The boy's body went rigid as his cat-like eyes darted to hers, and Sayuri's eyes slowly widened when she realized what she had done; panicking internally, her mouth opened and closed without a sound, like a fish out of water, and seconds passed as they continued to stare at each other until the beep of the timer snapped them out of it. "Uh, sorry," she finally managed to mutter as the two looked away and wanting to get out of the uncomfortable situation, she stiffly made her way to the oven.

Seeing that the cakes were done, she grabbed her mitts and brought them out, setting them on the counter to cool. Still covered in cream, she cleared her throat and extended her hand to the boy next to her, still avoiding his gaze. "Could you, uh, pass one of those napkins, please?" she coughed, her cheeks red with embarrassment at her earlier slip-up.

When he grabbed her hand instead, her head whipped towards him with a confused expression: he had already removed the rest of the cream from his face but still had a damp paper towel in his other hand and she watched, frozen in place, as he gently wiped her face, his mouth set in a line with determination. Now it was her turn to try to keep still until he was done, and only when his hand fell to his side and he backed away did she let out the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"All clean," he murmured, ducking into the collar of his sweatshirt as he tried to hide his reddening cheeks. Glancing at her, she saw a playful twinkle in his eye and he chuckled. "Now we're even."

Sayuri snorted, amused by their constant clumsiness around each other and the tension between them dissipated. "Yes, we're now even," she agreed with a laugh returning to the bowl of cream in front of her, "Could you pour the simple syrup into that squeeze bottle over there? I'll finish up the cream and then put it in the fridge to sit until the cakes are finished cooling. We can work on the apple pies in the meantime." Nodding at the bowl of apples at the end of the counter she looked at him expectantly. "Do you mind also cutting the apples for the filling?"

"Yeah, sure," Kenma agreed, glad to have something to distract him from the thoughts raging in his mind.

\-----

"So, how long have you been playing volleyball?"

After the whipped cream fiasco, the two managed to get it together and by now, the apple hand pies were chilling in the freezer, ready to be baked right before the party so they'd be fresh. As for the cakes, they had fully cooled and they were now working on putting everything together.

"Hmmm, maybe since elementary school? Kuro was the reason I started since he always asked me to toss to him," he replied as they sliced up the fruit they were using for the filling and topping, "There weren't any kids our age that liked playing volleyball, and so he dragged me into it."

"I'm amazed you were able to put up with him for so long," the ravenette joked, referring to the captain's obnoxious personality, and she smiled at the underlying fondness in the boy's voice, "How'd you two even meet, anyway? You guys are quite the opposites if you don't mind me saying."

Shaking his head, Kenma chuckled softly — he was used to people pointing it out, but what they didn't know was that it wasn't always like that. "Kuro actually had it worse than me at first; when he moved in next door, it was pretty awkward between us because our parents just kind of lumped us together since we were around the same age. He'd often come over to my house when his father or grandparents weren't home and we'd play  _Virtua Fighter_ in complete silence."

"Him, silent?!" Sayuri gasped, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, and she pointed a finger accusingly at him, "No way, you're lying aren't you?"

"I know it's hard to believe," the setter snorted, "but he was extremely timid and only after I asked him if there was anything else he wanted to do, did he bring up volleyball." His nose scrunched at the memory, making the girl giggle. "I meant any other _video games_ , but once we started, it was pretty interesting and we would play from time to time. I think the moment that I was sucked into it was when Kuro brought over some recordings and convinced me to become a setter. I was too caught up in his enthusiasm when he told me that I could be a "mastermind strategist" to notice the flaming lie he told me — that setters are in a position where they don't need to move around much."

The ravenette looked at him in disbelief before doubling over in laughter. "Oh my god, now that sounds like something he would say!"

"It's true that he's a pain most of the time," the older boy admitted, laughing along with her, "however, he's one of the few people that understands me. Even when he started making other friends on his own, he never once left me behind; sure, I'd only go out and play volleyball with him while most of the time I'd stay in my room to play video games, but Kuro knew that I'd only do the things I wanted, and so he never forced me to do anything I wasn't interested in. However, when I did like something, he pushed me out of my comfort zone which, in the moment, I despised but in the end, I really appreciated it. I almost quit the team last year because the third years were bossing me around, but Kuro convinced me to stay — I'm glad he did because otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to meet everyone," he added, a small smile on his face.  _Especially you_ , he added in his head as he glanced at the girl.

Sayuri returned his smile, though internally, she was surprised by his monologue; she had never heard him speak so many words, but the fact that he had indicated just how fond he was of his childhood friend and neighbor. "I'm glad you were able to find such a great friend," she murmured, "And I'm sure he feels the same way about you."

Somewhat embarrassed by how much he shared, Kenma just hummed in agreement as the girl began to assemble the layers, smoothing out some cream onto the cake and placing some strawberries on top before repeating the process. "What about you? How long have you been a cheerleader?" he asked, handing her some kiwis and watching her nimble fingers work.

"Well, I started as a cross country runner as a way for me to cope after my father died, but then one of my friends joined a competitive cheer group and asked me to tag along, and I just fell in love with it. When I moved back to Japan, I had to choose between the two since Teiko didn't allow me to do more than one sport and I ultimately chose the one I loved more," she explained, a determined expression on her face as she carefully piped dollops of cream on the top of the cake.

"I'm sorry to hear about your dad," he mumbled, mentally kicking himself for bringing up a touchy subject.

Putting down the piping bag, Sayuri waved her hands in front of her face, shaking her head. "No, no, there's nothing for you to apologize for!" she reassured him, playfully punching him in the side to let him know that she wasn't put out by his question, "I miss him dearly, but it doesn't hurt to think about him anymore. It was really hard at first, don't get me wrong; I remember crying all the time, which probably scared Toshi- _kun_ — he's not really good with emotions, as you can tell," she explained in an affectionate tone, and Kenma felt his heart squeeze at the mention of the older boy. He frowned as he clutched his chest, but thankfully, the girl didn't notice. "My mom was a mess as well, but I think moving away did both of us good. And thankfully we had the support of _Ji_ - _ji_ and _Ba_ - _ba_ , along with _Kaa-san_ 's side of the family to get through it."

Unable to say anything, lest he messed up again, Kenma only nodded before slipping into silence as he finished topping the cake with the leftover fruit; when it was done, the two of them stepped back to admire their work.

"There! It's all done," the ravenette proudly exclaimed, carefully covering it and placed it into the fridge before surveying the kitchen with a frown. "Oh my god, we made a huge mess!" she groaned, finally taking notice of the aftermath of their work: flour was everywhere from when she had accidentally sent it flying after dumping in too much while the mixer was on, globs of apple pie filling littered the ground after Kenma had knocked the spoon that was inside the bowl, and some dollops of cream persisted even after they had tried to clean it up earlier.

Grabbing one of the few remaining clean spoons, she burst out laughing at her reflection. "I look terrible!" she wheezed, taking in her disheveled appearance, and she reached up to try to wipe away the mess on her face.

Kenma, on the other hand, thought otherwise: wisps of her hair had come loose from her braid and were now floating around her flour-covered face, which was tinged pink from working in the hot kitchen, giving her a rosy glow.

To him, she was beautiful.

Flustered, he busied himself with clearing up the many dirty utensils scattered across the counter, putting them into the sink to be washed. "We should start cleaning up," he grumbled as he started scrubbing the dishes furiously, hoping to hide the blush he knew was blooming on his cheeks.

"Aye-aye, captain," the girl saluted with a smirk, getting to work on cleaning up the counters and floors, and Kenma worked hard to ignore her sweet, lilting voice as she once again started humming a nondescript tune; when everything was finally spotless again, the ravenette turned to the setter and grinned. "Thanks for helping me out, Kenma," she gushed, raising both her hands for a high-five; hesitantly, he followed suit and slowly brought their palms together, only for her to link her fingers with his and give him a gentle squeeze. "I know you didn't want to do this in the first place, but I'm really happy that you did," she said, not letting go as she began to walk towards their rooms. "Well then, we should head back now; don't want Yaku- _senpai_ to get suspicious, right?"

Kenma just nodded and shuffled alongside her as they headed back in a comfortable silence, too overwhelmed that he was holding hands with her as they walked to even say anything.

Guess he wasn't going to kill Kuroo after all.


	22. Zigazig Ah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Shhhh," Matsukawa hushed, "let yo boi Issei serenade you."
> 
> "Here come dat boi!" Hanamaki followed.
> 
> "Oh shit waddup," Sayuri added.
> 
> "Marry us."
> 
> "No. Now shut up, the song's starting."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is sort of a filler chapter. Next chapter will be Akaashi's turn with the heroine!

"Kuroo, where are you taking me?"

"Yakkun, relax! Your beloved team of cats has a special surprise for you since your birthday is this weekend!"

"It better not be a repeat of last year."

"Oi! It wasn't my fault we almost got arrested!"

"Fukunaga was in a tree for like 3 hours. In his boxers. Meowing like a cat."

"How was I supposed to know he'd get drunk off a box of boozy chocolates?!"

"Baka, you shouldn't have ev—"

"SURPRISE!"

Cheers filled the air as Kuroo pushed open the doors of the school's cafeteria. Confetti flew everywhere, the Nekoma boys holding birthday poppers in their hands. Everyone attending the training camp, sans the coaches who were out drinking somewhere, were gathered to celebrate the third-year's birthday.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY YAKU- _SAN_!" Inuoka and Lev shouted as they tackled the boy.

"Thanks so much, everyone!" Yaku exclaimed, kicking the silver-haired bean pole off of him as Kai helped him up. The libero surveyed the piles of snacks and drinks that covered the table. "This was such a surprise!"

"I'm amazed Bokuto- _san_ was able to keep it a secret for so long," Akaashi drawled, eliciting a cry from the peppered-hair boy.

"Yeah, I was sure Assikawa was going to open his big mouth and ruin everything," Iwaizumi added, causing his boyfriend to pout.

"Anyways, there's more surprises in store, my dear _paisen_!" Kuroo proclaimed. "Ooooohhhhhh, Neko- _chan_!"

At his shout, Sayuri came out of the kitchen holding the birthday cake she and Kenma had baked. The group sang "Happy Birthday" as she placed the cake in front of the boy, his face lit up from the glow of the candles' flame. When the song finished, Yaku blew out the candles with a huge grin. "Really, thanks again guys," Yaku simpered, his eyes watery.

"Ah! Wait! Don't forget the pies!" Sayuri cried as she ran back to the kitchen. In a few moments, she returned with a huge pile of  _Meow-ther Nature's_ signature pies, all fresh from the oven. She placed them in front of Yaku to allow him first bite. Once she was sure he had gotten his share, she turned to everyone else.

"Now you guys can dig in!"

Immediately, the boys (and Shirofuku) jumped in to devour the pastries. Shimizu grabbed a knife and started cutting the large sheet cake into pieces, serving them onto plates for people to grab.

"WHOA THESE ARE SO TASTY!" Hinata yelled, crumbs flying everywhere. Kageyama started choking when he tried to agree with the orange-haired boy, his fist slamming against his chest as Akaashi hurriedly handed him a cup of water with a worried look on his face.

"I'm so happy that I could taste something this delicious made by someone so pretty," Yamamto sobbed; he, along with Tanaka and Nishinoya, were shoving pies into their faces as tears streamed down their faces.

"This cake is really good too!" Yamaguchi marveled, "Don't you agree, Tsukki?" he asked, nudging his friend. The tall bespectacled blonde just grumbled something unintelligible under his breath. Despite his sour expression, he had finished his share of cake and looked as if he wanted more.

"Thanks for baking everything, Sayuri," Akaashi said, resting a hand on the girl's shoulder and giving it a a gentle squeeze. "The cake tastes better than anything I've ever eaten."

Sayuri blushed furiously at the compliment. "Uhh, t-thanks, Keiji- _kun_. It was no big d-deal," she stuttered, avoiding the shocked gazes of the people around her.

"You're the one who made all of this?" Goshiki shreiked with his mouth full. "Sayuri- _sama_ , you're amazing!"

"Seriously though, this is stupid good," Kawanishi agreed. Everyone looked at him, confused. His teammates just shook their heads.

"I swear, Taichi- _kun_ , you say the weirdest shit," Tendou sniggered.

"I can't take all the credit though, Kenma helped me," Sayuri confessed, the boy's face turning red from the acknowledgement. "And, if you really like the pies, make sure to visit  _Meow-ther Nature_ , the cat café I work at!" she included.

"Shameless plug!" Kuroo shouted. Sayuri flipped him off, making him spit out his drink into Bokuto's face as he snorted. "Sorry, bro," he apologized as he patted the owl's shoulder. Turning to the rest of the group, Kuroo cleared his throat. "Ok now for the final surprise of the night!" 

Behind him, Nobuyuki dimmed the lights while Ohira powered on the karaoke machine that Konoha had borrowed from his cousin. Soekawa handed a mic to Kuroo and placed the song book and control pad on the table in front of him. Eyes filled with excitement stared at the cat captain, along with a few annoyed looks, and he gave them his signature shit-eating grin.

"Let's get the party started!

* * *

_~~~_

_So tell me what you want, what you really, really want_  
_I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want_  
_So tell me what you want, what you really, really want_  
  
_I wanna (ah), I wanna (ah), I wanna (ah), I wanna (ah)_  
_I wanna really, really, really, wanna zigazig ah_  
  
_If you want my future_  
_Forget my past_  
_If you wanna get with me_  
_Better make it fast_  
  
_Now don't go wasting_  
_My precious time_  
_Get your act together_  
_We could be just fine..._

_~~~_

Suga, Tanaka, Yamaguchi, Hinata, and Kageyama sang over the shouts and whistles coming from their teammates. The party was in full swing, everyone hyped up due to the outrageous amounts of sugar and junk food. The karaoke machine was a huge hit, which didn't surprise Sayuri one bit. After knowing the group for a little less than two weeks, she could already tell they were a theatrical group and she had anticipated the dramatic flair of their performances. When the Karasuno boys were done with their song, Kuroo and Bokuto took to the stage, screeching "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey as they acted out their own tragic love story. They were followed by Oikawa, who belted out his rendition of Beyonce's "Crazy In Love", complete with dance moves and hair flips. Sayuri couldn't contain her laughter at how red Iwaizumi was, embarrassed as his boyfriend serenaded him.

After a particularly intense performance of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" by Yaku and Fukunaga which left everyone's mouth agape, Tendou plopped down next to Sayuri and dumped the song book into her lap. "Neko-chan, it's your turn to sing!" he said, slinging an arm over her shoulder and ignoring the glares he received.

"Ah, no, no I'm not good at singing," Sayuri stammered, trying to wriggle out of Tendou's grasp. He just pulled her closer and poked her cheek in response.

"Oh come on, now. Even if you _are_ bad, who cares?" he replied. "I mean, look at Goshiki. He's tone-deaf, but that didn't stop him from singing that stupid song from  _Lion King_."

"Excuse me, "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is a fantastic song and I thought Tsutomu was great!" she argued.

"Thanks Sayuri-sama!" Goshiki chirped, proudly puffing out his chest. She giggled at his cute reaction.

"Keep doing you, Tsutomu. Disney is timeless and anyone who says otherwise can piss off!" Sayuri declared, glaring at the red-head next to her as she lifted his arm off of her and dropping it into his lap. The boy just chuckled as he changed his focus to the birthday boy next to him

"So Sayurin," Hanamaki began, pushing Tendou away and taking his place.

"You like Disney songs?" Matsukawa finished, sitting on the other side of her. They both looked at each other and smirked.

"What are you guys thin—"

Before she could finished, they both hooked an arm around her back with another under her legs and hoisted her up, carrying her up to the front. With Matsukawa's arm around her shoulders and Hanamaki's arm around her waist, they held her in place.

"Hurry give us the mics!" Hanamaki shouted to Kindaichi. The first-year scrambled to hand each of them a microphone, which Sayuri reluctantly took. "Aw Yuu-chan, you're such an angel."

"I could be your angle or yuor devil," Sayuri muttered without thinking. Matsukawa snorted while Hanamaki looked at her with approval before doubling over in laughter. 

"Sorry Mattsun, I think I have to dump you. Sayurin here just stole my heart," he wheezed.

"You've got it wrong, my dear Makki. I'm the one that's dumping you for her," Matsukawa joked. She slapped both of them on the chest, unfortunately hitting Hanamaki with the mic.

"Geez, ok I get it, you're choosing him over me," Hanamaki coughed.

"Sorry Makki," she apologized, patting his back. "Anyway, what song did you guys choo—"

Again, Sayuri was cut off, this time by the opening notes of one of her favorite Disney songs. She felt her cheeks flush and she hid behind her hands. "Guys, _why_?!" she groaned.

"Shhhh," Matsukawa hushed, "let yo boi Issei serenade you."

"Here come dat boi!" Hanamaki followed.

"Oh shit waddup," Sayuri added.

"Marry us."

"No. Now shut up, the song's starting."

As expected of Oikawa's friends, the two boys were dramatic to say the least. Their use of grand hand gestures and comical facial expressions rivaled their captain's and Sayuri couldn't help but laugh as they passionately sang along with the lyrics.

_I can show you the world_  
_Shining, shimmering splendid_  
_Tell me, princess, now when did_  
_You last let your heart decide_

Sayuri had to admit they had nice voices; she was most surprised by their ability to harmonize since there were now two Prince Alis instead of one. She took a deep breath as they neared her part of the song. She loved to sing, but hated doing it in front of people.

In the audience, three boys watched as the girl fidgeted on stage, waiting for her turn. They could tell how nervous she was from the way she was tugging on her hair and biting her lip. Searching through the crowd, she locked gazes with one of them and he gave her a reassuring nod that seemed to calm her down immediately. With a determined look on her face, she began to sing.

_A whole new world_  
_A dazzling place I never knew_  
_But when I'm way up here_  
_It's crystal clear_  
_That now I'm in a whole new world with you_

Her voice wavered at first, but it grew stronger with every word. Soon enough, she was bounding about the make-shift stage area with the meme duo, pretending she was on a magic carpet ride. Their performance was over the top and completely ridiculous, making everyone laugh.

As the final lines of the melody were sung, complete with a dramatic pose at the end, the three divas were met with loud applause and cheers. They all bowed deeply and took returned to their seats, handing the mics to Konoha, Komi, and Sarukui. She made her way to the back of the room, taking a seat near the snacks and pulled her legs to her chest.

"Hey," Sayuri said.

"Hey," the boy next to her replied.

The two watched as Semi and Shirabu took to the stage. The two seemed to have good chemistry with each other, when the second-year wasn't getting on his senpai's nerves. She grabbed a couple of chips from the table behind her and began nibbling on them.

In one swift motion, the boy grabbed her free hand and placed it in is lap, preoccupying himself with her fingers while deliberately avoiding her gaze. Sayuri held her breath as he ran a calloused finger over the soft and sensitive skin between hers, tracing the outline of her hand and making her shiver. Turning her hand over, he started drawing random shapes into her palm, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest.

"You sang really well," he said, giving her wrist a gentle squeeze as he continued to absentmindedly trace curves into her skin.

"Thank you," she whispered. She could barely hear her own voice over the loud beating of her racing heart.

The two sat like that until the end of song. When it finished, the boy next to her released her hand and quickly walked away, leaving Sayuri in a daze. She clutched her hand, already losing the warmth from his, and rested her forehead on her knees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I chose not to specify who "the boy" is. It can be whichever of the three you want.
> 
> NOTE 1: Title from Spice Girls song "Wannabe"
> 
> NOTE 2: If you wanted to know, here's the break down of the Karasuno Spice Boys  
> Suga = Posh Spice  
> Yamaguchi = Baby Spice  
> Tanaka = Sporty Spice  
> Hinata = Ginger Spice  
> Kageyama = Scary Spice
> 
> NOTE 3: The line "I could be your angle or yuor devil" is intentionally misspelled because it's a meme.


	23. Bless Mother Nature, She's a Single Woman Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So...," his mother began when he entered and Akaashi grimaced, "Are you and Nekomata- _san_ dating?"
> 
> "We're not dating," he explained, going to the kitchen to put the kettle onto the stove before joining the older woman on the couch, "All we did was go to the library to work on our summer homework."
> 
> "Is that so?" Kanna hummed, a teasing lilt to her voice. Waggling her brows, she smirked. "She's quite the beauty, isn't she?"
> 
> Rubbing his temples, the raven-haired boy sighed. " _Okaasan_ , please," he groaned quietly, his mother cackling in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You thought I forgot about Akaashi, didn't you? Never fear! Here's his share of adventures with our heroine for this week!
> 
> \-----
> 
> UPDATED: October 26, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

Turning her head to look out the window next to her, Sayuri gazed longingly at the clear blue sky: it was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and the thought of spending the day outside enjoying the sun was enticing, yet she found herself in the library doing her summer homework, the sounds of rustling pages and pencils scratching against paper filling the air. 

The girl wasn't alone though, as many other students had the same idea as her — including the raven-haired boy sitting across of her. The night before, Akaashi had texted her asking if she wanted to study together and, though initially surprised by the offer given that they were in different years, she ultimately agreed; there was a tricky literature assignment that she was stuck on and she knew that the subject was the older boy's best subject.

No longer paying any attention to the book she was holding, Sayuri rested her chin in her palm and watched as the boy's gunmetal blue eyes flitted back and forth as he read while one of his hands, which were surprisingly larger than Bokuto's, nimbly twirled his pencil around. He had an impressive posture and combined with his pleasant facial features, it gave him a regal vibe.  _It's almost unfair at how pretty he is_ , she thought with a frown. As if sensing her gaze on him, he looked up from his book with a cocked brow and, flustered from being caught staring, the ravenette quickly averted her eyes. Fumbling to find something to distract him, she pushed her book towards him and pointed to the paragraph she had been previously reading. "I don't quite understand how to interpret this part of the text," she mumbled, scrunching her nose in confusion.

"Ah, so you see..." Akaashi smiled, leaning over the table to get a better look. As he explained the answer, he noticed that the girl had moved closer as well, her face now centimeters from his, and he could see every small detail of the girl's face: long thick lashes that framed her expressive gray eyes, blemish-free skin that looked soft to the touch, urging to reach out and test if that was true, and lips that were pink and plump, the bottom lip slightly larger than the top, that made his heart flutter whenever she would bite it while concentrating on a particularly hard problem. 

So absorbed in studying her, he didn't realize he had stopped mid-sentence.

"Um, Keiji- _kun?_ " Sayuri whispered, her eyes filled with concern, "Is something wrong?"

Shaking his head, the older boy cleared his throat. "It's nothing," he coughed, "where were we?"

A comfortable silence settled between them as they continued studying, only breaking it with the occasional question here and there, and the time flew by. When she had finished most of her work, Sayuri stretched her body, mewling in satisfaction when she worked out the kinks. Gently poking the boy with her pen, she pointed to a nearby clock. "We've been here for quite some time, and it's already 3 PM. We missed lunch," she murmured, her stomach grumbling in agreement, and she clutched her mid-section in embarrassment.

"Guess that's our cue to get something to eat then," Akaashi quietly teased, collecting his homework and tucking it inside his bag along with his other study materials. "Is the  _konbini_  alright?" he asked when they had made their way outside, "I believe there should be one nearby."

"Lead the way!" the ravenette chirped, slipping out of her cardigan and wrapping it around her waist, basking in the feeling of the sun on her bare skin. "Thanks for inviting me today, Keiji- _kun_ ," she chatted as they headed in the direction of the nearest convenience store, "You were a great help. I always have a hard time with these sorts of assignments."

Pleased that she wasn't put off by coming to the library on a weekend, during summer no less, the setter flashed her a small smile. "My pleasure, Sayuri," he murmured, "I'd say the same about you. Your explanations were easy to understand and I managed to finish all of my math homework."

A blinding grin formed on the girl's face at his praise and she playfully nudged his side. "Aww, thanks! But I can't take all the credit; it's only due to my mother that I —"

As they walked, the two were oblivious to the fact that the once clear sky had suddenly turned gray, and the summer rain shower that ensured caught them by surprise.

"Crap, where did this come from?!" she cried, throwing her cardigan over her bag to prevent it from getting wet and covering herself with her arms. With no nearby shelter, she looked at the boy next to her with wide eyes. "What should we do?!"

"Let's just go to my place," Akaashi suggested, grabbing her hand and leading the way without another thought. "My house is close by and you can dry off there while we wait for this to let up."

By the time they reached his house, the two were thoroughly soaked after running through the streets and he scrambled to unlock the door, hurriedly ushering her in when he finally managed open it. "That was unexpected," he sighed, running a hand through his hair and frowning at how saturated his locks were, "Are you alright —?"

Finally turning to her, he exhaled sharply as he took in her appearance: she was drenched, her hair plastered against her face and her white button down she was wearing completely soaked through. It clung to her body like a second skin, revealing the curves of her hips and breasts and if it wasn't for her undershirt, the thin fabric would have been see-through. "Are you trying to torture me?" Akaashi grumbled under his breath, slipping off his shoes and clearing his throat. " _Tadaima,_ " he called out, louder, " _Okaasan_ , are you home?"

"Keiji, is that you?" his mom responded from within the house and soon the older woman emerged carrying towels in her arms. "Here, you must have been caught in the rain—oh! Hello there!" she gasped, noticing the ravenette and eyeing her son curiously as she smiled at their guest.

" _Arigatou okaasan_ ," Akaashi interjected, taking the towels from his mother's arms and handing one to the girl, "Use this to wipe off as much as possible and I'll grab you some clothes that you can change into while yours dry." Roughly drying his hair and clothes enough that he wasn't dripping onto the floor, he made his way to his room to rummage through his drawers, pulling out two shirts, a pair of sweatpants, and a pair of practice shorts; quickly making a stop into the bathroom, he changed out of his wet clothes and placed the sopping garments into the dryer.

Meanwhile, Sayuri remained in the entryway with the boy's mother. Glancing at the older woman, she could see the similarities between the two: they had the same gunmetal-blue eyes, though hers were much rounder and softer than her son's, and though her hair was a light brown, she could tell that he got his messy locks from her as well.

"Sorry for the intrusion," she greeted, bowing deeply, "My name is Nekomata Sayuri and I'm a first year at Fukurodani. I know your son because my friend is the volleyball team's manager. It's a pleasure to meet you Akaashi- _san_."

A look of confusion crossed woman's face before her eyes lit with recognition. "Sweetie, call me Kanna," she exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement, "And you must be the girl who helps Keiji with Koutarou's mood swings! I've heard so much about you! Are you dat—"

" _Okaasan_ ," Akaashi interrupted with an exasperated, but loving glare, as he handed the ravenette a pile of clothes. Ignoring his mother's questioning look, he motioned for the girl to follow him, picking up her drenched cardigan on his way and carefully carrying it to the bathroom. "You can change in here," he told her, placing the soddened garment in his hands into the dryer along with the rest of his wet clothes, "My mother is much shorter than you, so I've brought you some of my clothes. They'll be big, but I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind," she replied with a grateful smile, though it was marred by the fact that her teeth were chattering and she was shivering from the chill of the rain seeping into her skin, "I really appreciate it, Keiji- _kun_."

He silently cursed himself for letting her stand around while she was drenched. "Why don't you take a shower, as well, to warm up?" he suggested, frowning at the goosebumps dotting her arms, "I'll get you a sweatshirt as well. Just put your wet clothes in the dryer, and when you're done, I'll start the load." With a nod from her, he left to grab her one of his old hoodies and quickly handed it to her before heading back to the living room.

"So...," his mother began when he entered and Akaashi grimaced, "Are you and Nekomata- _san_  dating?"

"We're not dating," he explained, going to the kitchen to put the kettle onto the stove before joining the older woman on the couch, "All we did was go to the library to work on our summer homework." Seeing the older woman's doubtful expression, he sighed. "Because of her mother's career, Sayuri is very advanced in math and science but has trouble with literature and history; therefore, we help each other out with our weak subjects from time-to-time."

"Is that so?" Kanna hummed, a teasing lilt to her voice. Waggling her brows, she smirked. "She's quite the beauty, isn't she?"

Rubbing his temples, the raven-haired boy sighed. " _Okaasan_ , please," he groaned quietly, his mother cackling in response.

"Oh, come on! Just answer the question!" she pressed, her eyes glinting with curiosity, but before her son could respond, the girl in question returned, her face rosy from the warmth of the shower.

One look at the girl and Akaashi bolted from his seat with an almost audible gulp, heading into the kitchen in hopes of hiding the blush blooming on his cheeks. "I'll pour us some tea" he mumbled, mentally saving the image of his crush wearing  _his_ clothes: though he wasn't as big as others on Fukurodani's volleyball team, her thin frame drowned in his shirt, the pants he had lent her disappearing underneath — it made his heart race and his throat dry.

"Keiji, I made some  _onigiri_  earlier with the leftover rice from lunch. Can you bring that over too?" Kanna called out before turning to the younger girl and patting the space next to her, "Nekomata- _san_ , you must be hungry after studying all day! Are you ok with  _onigiri_?"

"Thank you so much, Kanna- _san_. I love  _onigiri_ ," Sayuri nodded as Akaashi returned; after placing the tray of food and drinks on the coffee table in front of them he took the seat on the other side of his mother. "By the way, please call me Sayuri." Grabbing a mug and sipping the tea, the ravenette sighed in satisfaction. "Ah, that hits the spot! Who knew that it would rain suddenly?"

The older woman hummed in agreement, looking out the window and peering at the ominous sky outside. “Yeah, it just popped out of nowhere and it doesn't look like it'll let up anytime soon," his mother sighed with a wave of her hand before turning to the younger girl with a smile. “Anyway, Sayuri- _chan_ , Keiji has told me you’re the vice-captain of the cheer team — as a first-year, no less!”

Sayuri's face flushed from the sudden praise and she cocked her head at the boy across from her. “I wasn’t aware that Keiji- _kun_  talked about me to his family,” she answered scrutinizing him, causing the boy to fiddle with his fingers nervously. “But yes, that's correct; it was just luck, perhaps, as most of our school's members had left at the end of the previous school year because they were graduating. Fukurodani has an impressive team, and I knew I wanted to attend since last year when I was in middle school, so I dropped into a few of their summer practices. I guess since I was vice-captain and captain in middle school, they graciously offered me the vice-captain position once the new year started.”

"You're being too humble, Sayuri," Akaashi quietly added, shaking his head, "You earned the position with your skills, not with pure luck."

Her eyes lighting up, Kanna rested her hand on her cheek. "Oh my, that's amazing!" she gushed before interested expression morphed into one of concern as she looked at the girl and her son, "But isn't it hard to balance such a huge responsibility as well as keeping up with your studies? Keiji is always coming home late due to practice and then stays up to finish his homework. I hope you aren't working yourself too hard!"

The girl waved her hands in front of her, shaking her head. "Thank you for your concern, but it's ok!" Sayuri reassured her, "Luckily I have wonderful teammates and a marvelous captain who make my job easy. Plus I have people like Keiji here to help me with my studies."

"Again, you're being too modest, you usually average in the 90s in your exams," he interjected, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders, "Aren't you also the top student in your year in math and science? Even with others' help, that's still an impressive feat."

“Keiji- _kun_!” Sayuri squeaked, her cheeks burning and she hid behind her hands in embarrassment. “Please, stop — I'm not that great!" Peeking out from behind her fingers, she turned to the older woman between them and grimaced. "Don't listen to him, Kanna, I’m appallingly weak in History and Literature.”

“Your idea of "appallingly weak" is a score of 85," the setter countered, much to the girl's chagrin, "I'm sure the only reason why you have to work a little harder in those subjects compared to others is because you spent some time abroad; it’s understandable that you didn’t read all the books the rest of us have," he reassured before answering the silent question in his mother's eyes. " _Okaasan_ , Sayuri moved to America for a few years before returning in middle school."

With her back towards the girl, Kanna gave her son a thumb's up.  _What a catch!_  she mouthed, snickering when the boy frowned in response. "Well, Sayuri- _chan_ , it was lovely talking to you but I've got some cleaning to do so I'll you two alone. You're welcome to stay until the rain lets up!" she offered with a warm smile as she stood, patting the girl's shoulder and ruffling her son's hair before leaving the room.

“I appreciate it, Kanna- _san_ ,” Sayuri called out, turning to the raven-haired boy now sitting next to her. “Your mother is a wonderful woman," she told him just as a yawn spilled from her lips, "So, what should we do now?"

Leaning forward, Akaashi reached for the television remote and began skimming through the channels. "We could see if there's a movie on?" After skipping past a few, he settled on one that was playing a Disney movie, since he had overheard her mentioning that she enjoyed the franchise. "Is this one alright?"

Nodding her head, she curled up into a ball and hugged her knees to her chest as the two focused their attention on the movie.

The rain had dissipated by the time Akaashi awoke, and he threw an arm over his eyes to shield them from the sun peeking through the curtains; the last thing he remembered before dozing off was Sayuri humming along to "I'll Make a Man Out of You", her lilting voice lulling him to sleep. Rubbing the kinks in his neck that had formed while he slept sitting up, he felt a weight on his chest and looked down to see the ravenette curled up into his side, one arm wrapped around his waist and her legs splayed out over his lap. As his groggy mind tried to process the situation, she snuggled in closer and buried her face into his shirt.

A chuckle came from behind him, and his body stiffened as he slowly turned his head to look at his mother, who had a smirk on her face. “You’re looking mighty comfortable there, Keiji,” she teased as she leaned over the back of the couch, her son's face flushing in embarrassment as he busied himself with gently removing his body from the girl’s embrace.

Tenderly laying her down on the now empty seat, he followed his mother to the kitchen. “How long were we asleep?” he asked, avoiding her piercing gaze as he washed the dirty dishes in the sink and handing them off to the older woman when they were clean.

“About an hour or so — it’s just after five,” she chuckled, taking the plate he gave her and drying it with a rag; nudging her son with her elbow, she gave him a wink. “So are you sure you two aren’t dating?" she pressed, nodding her head at the girl still napping on the couch, "If I were you, I wouldn’t let this one get away!"

Though he kept his usual emotionless expression, the raven-haired boy fumbled with the bowl he was holding, quickly catching it before it fell back into the sink. “As I told you earlier,  _Okaasan_ , we're not dating. And even if I did like her romantically, I highly doubt she'd ever reciprocate those feelings," he muttered quietly, hoping his lie wasn't too noticeable.

The older woman raised a brow in doubt but decided not to challenge his words. "Well, it at least looks like she is comfortable around you," she said slowly, watching his face for his reaction, "Not many girls I know would fall asleep next to some boy, even if they were close. Plus she was wrapped around you while you two were sleeping! I highly doubt she does that with anyone."

"She's just more...open to physical contact than the average Japanese person,  _Okaasan_ , nothing to get worked up about. I'm sure in America, everyone is like that," he countered, hesitantly.

"Sure, sure," his mother sighed, frustrated with her son's stubbornness as she finished wiping the last dish. After quickly drying her hands against her apron, she gently poked him in the chest. "Look, honey, occasionally I worry about you because you tend to hold back, letting others have their way before you do. Your father is the same way," she smiled, patting the boy's cheek lovingly. "Just remember that it's ok to put yourself above others sometimes, alright?"

Before he could respond, the two heard a rustling noise coming from the living room as Sayuri stirred on the couch; drowsily, she sat slowly pushed herself up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Keiji- _kun_?” she whimpered, her forehead crinkling and her lips pursing into a pout when she realized she was alone, “Where are you?”

“She’s calling for you,  _Keiji-kun_ ,” Kanna whispered to her son, shoving him towards the girl and snickering as she left him alone.

Heaving a sigh, Akaashi walked over and held out a hand to help her up. “Morning,” he murmured, the corners of his lips lifting into a small smile as he pulled her to her feet, “Did you sleep well?”

The ravenette let inertia take over, softly colliding with the boy’s chest. “G’morning,” she yawned, her voice husky and muffled by his shirt, “Sorry I fell asleep. I was just so tired.”

It took every ounce of self-control to not wrap his arms around her, but he sharply inhaled and gently pushed the girl away. Holding her by the shoulders, he lifted a hand to brush away a few stray tendrils from her face. “Don’t worry about it, I took a nap as well,” he reassured her as his hand fell to his side, “Anyway, it looks like the rain has stopped and our clothes should be dry by now. I’ll grab them so you can change and then I’ll walk you to the station.”

“What about the clothes I’m wearing now?” she asked as she was ushered to the bathroom; when she was ignored, she tugged on the boy’s shirt until he stopped unloading the dryer. “Keiji- _kun_! At least let me wash them before giving them back to you!”

Waving her protests away, Akaashi shook his head. “It’s ok, I’ll just throw them in with my other workout gear — I need to wash my clothes before the upcoming week,” he explained, handing over her clothes and leaving the bathroom so she could change. When she had finished, he placed the small pile into his hamper before heading to the entryway.

“ _Okaasan_ , I’m going to walk Sayuri to the station,” he shouted to his mother, grabbing the girl's bag and slinging it around his shoulder.

“Goodbye Sayuri- _chan_!" the older woman called out from somewhere in the house, "It was a pleasure to have you over and you’re welcome back anytime!”

“Thank you so much for your hospitality, Kanna- _san_!" the ravenette laughed in response as she was guided out of the house.

The walk to the train station was short and soon enough, the two arrived at their destination. "Be careful on your way back," he told her, handing the girl her backpack, "Text me when you get home."

Nodding her head, Sayuri wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him into a tight hug. "Thanks inviting me out today, Keiji- _kun_!" she gushed, looking up at him with a smile, "And for letting me crash at your place while it rained — tell your mom again that I really appreciated her hospitality!"

"Will do," Akaashi hummed, hastily brushing a kiss onto her forehead; he felt her stiffen and her arms go slack at his touch and, shocked by his own actions, he used the opportunity to flee without a backward glance.

"Crap, I'm in trouble," he muttered under his breath as he quickly rushed home, and he hoped his face wasn't as red as he thought it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Title is a line from the song "It's Raining Men"


	24. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "But don't you think it's unfair to use concepts you haven't covered yet, _Sensei_?" she continued with a sneer, handing the chalk back to him and making her way back to her desk. She winked at Akashi before taking a seat, giving the man an innocent look. Humiliated, he gathered his things and hurried out the door as the next period's teacher walked in.
> 
> "Oh my, what a horrible first impression I've made," Sayuri yawned, not at all remorseful.
> 
> Maybe it wouldn't be a waste of time to get to know this girl, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback to how Akashi met Sayuri!

**— 3 years ago, Teiko Junior High —**

"Did you guys hear about the beautiful new transfer student? Wonder which class she'll be in..." Aomine pondered as he attempted to knot his tie, only to give up and let his best friend Kuroko do it for him.

"If she's a transfer student, then she must be smart, nanodayo. I've heard the transfer exam is incredibly difficult compared to Teiko's entrance exam," Midorima surmised, grabbing his lucky item from the bench behind him and placing it into his bag. Today's lucky item was burdock root.

"Shit, really?! Then she'll probably be in the advanced class with Momocchi and Akashicchi!" Kise exclaimed while he styled his hair. When he was satisfied with his appearance, he gave his reflection a wink.

All yesterday and this morning, the new transfer student was the topic of every conversation. Although Akashi was slightly impressed by the assumed intelligence of the student, as it was unheard of for Teiko to accept transfers, he was more annoyed with how obsessed everyone was. Didn't people have anything else to talk about? His head throbbing from all the chatter and not enough sleep from the previous night, Akashi placed his folded practice clothes into his locker and slammed the door shut. His friends and teammates grew quiet, turning to look at their vice-captain.

"Aka- _chin_ , is there something wrong?" Murasakibara asked. The first-string players had just finished their usual morning practice, which had gone particularly well, and so they were confused by the red-head's strange behavior.

"It's nothing, Atsushi," Akashi reassured his friend. "I'm just tired. I stayed up late last night analyzing our match against Haranishi," he explained as he collected his things and headed towards the locker room's doors; with a shrug, the rest followed suit. Outside, they were joined by their friend and manager, Momoi.

"Tetsu- _kun_!" she shouted, throwing herself at the quiet boy and wrapping her arms around him.

"Momoi-san, we're going to be late," Kuroko said quietly, while their friends ignored the two and continued walking. Without releasing her grip, Momoi clung to his arm and the group made their way to the first-year building. When they arrived, they separated into their respective classrooms, with Momoi and Akashi in the advanced class 1-A, Midorima in class 1-B, Atsushi and Kuroko in class 1-C, and Aomine with Kise in class 1-D.

"Tell us all about the transfer student later!" Kise shouted before being dragged into his class by Aomine, earning snickers from his classmates and nearby students.

Shaking their heads, the two took their seats as the bell signaled the start of homeroom. Since they were seated in reverse alphabetical order, Momoi was near the middle of the room while Akashi was at the very back, right next to the window. With the teacher still absent, the room buzzed with quiet gossip, aggravating his growing headache. Rubbing his temples, he took out his notebook and began reading over his notes for his first class of the day.

Just then, the door slid open to reveal their homeroom teacher. Everyone's heads turned towards the woman, the room frozen in silence before immediately reanimating when their eyes moved to the girl behind her. From his seat, Akashi could only make out the black hair of who he assumed was the new transfer student.

"Quiet down everyone. We have a new student joining us today," the teacher informed, moving to stand in front of the class. She motioned looked at the girl near the door and motioned for her to enter.

Akashi watched as the girl made her way to the front of the room, her long hair swaying against her back. She moved gracefully, as if she were gliding across the floor, and he wondered if she was a dancer. Given the defined muscles in her slim yet toned legs, Akashi could tell she was at least some sort of athlete. 

"Nekomata- _san_ recently moved back to Japan from America," the teacher stated as she flipped through the papers in her hands. Turning to the girl, she gave a nod. "Please introduce yourself."

"My name is Nekomata Sayuri, but please call me Sayuri. I lived in California for the past three years, but I was born and raised in Sendai.  _H_ _ajimemashite,_ " the girl said, greeting her classmates with a bow; her voice was pleasant, light and melodic. The class erupted with questions, shocking the new student.

"Sayuri- _san_ , can you speak English?"

"Where in California did you live? Were you near Hollywood?"

"Why did you move to Tokyo?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Sayuri blushed and she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before a small smile broke out on her face. "As much as I would love to answer your questions, I'm sure _sensei_ would like to continue on with homeroom before the next class." She ignored the whining of her nosy classmates and tilted her head, glancing at the teacher next to her. " _Sensei_ , where should I sit?"

Chuckling at the girl's clever evasion, the older woman pointed towards the back. "You can sit next to Akashi- _san_. Since he's the top of the class, I'm sure he'll be able to answer any questions you may have." Akashi's eyes narrowed slightly in irritation. He had enough to deal with as is, and he had no time to waste helping the new student adjust. However, he was raised to be a gentleman and could not refuse. When the girl took her place next to him, he politely extended a hand towards her.

"I'm Akashi Seijuro," he said. She raised her eyebrow in surprise before gripping his hand in hers, giving him a firm handshake. "As  _sensei_ mentioned, please do not hesitate to ask me about anything," he added, keeping the annoyance out of his expression.

"I'll be in your care, Akashi- _san_." Releasing his hand, Sayuri's lips formed a smirk. "While I appreciate your generous offer, I wouldn't want to distract you from your busy schedule," she murmured, teasingly. The corners of Akashi's mouth twitched and he clenched his teeth; the girl had somehow read past his facade.

"I assure you, Nekomata- _san_ , that I am not too busy to help a fellow classmate, let alone my deskmate," Akashi replied, his voice clipped. Sayuri just hummed in response, focusing her attention back on the teacher and effectively ending the conversation.

Irked by the entire exchange, Akashi whipped his head towards the front of the room, regretting the move immediately. He inhaled sharply through his nose as pain shot through his skull, his head pounding. His hand curled into a fist at his side and he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to regain his composure. Unexpectedly, he felt cool hands unfurl his fist and press something into his palm. Glancing down, he saw that the girl had given him migraine medicine. Without looking at her, he nodded in thanks and quickly popped the two pills into his mouth, washing them down with a swing from his water bottle. By the time homeroom ended, the pain had completely subsided.

"Thank you for the medicine," Akashi acknowledged, his mood lightening up considerably now that his head was no longer in agony.

"It's not a big deal. I get incredibly terrible migraines every now and then, so I always have some on me," she stated. Before he could reply, the teacher for first-period entered the room.

"Alright, let's begin the lecture," the strict-looking man declared. "I'll be introducing a new topic today..."

Akashi sighed, diligently taking notes as the man droned on about algebraic expressions. Throughout the lecture, he'd glance at the girl next to him, a bored expression permanently on her face. For the most part, she'd just stare at the bored; every so often her eyes would drift down and she'd scrawl something in her notebook. He noticed that the page in front of her was empty of mathematical expressions and variables, and instead filled with scribbles in several different languages.

When only a few minutes of class remained, the teacher halted his lecture. "Ah, I got ahead of myself and lost track of time. Before we end, can anyone solve this problem?" he asked as he wrote on the board.

_What a nuisance_ , Akashi thought when he noticed that the man had slipped in concepts that haven't been covered. The normally stoic teacher had a smug look on his face, silently challenging anyone to attempt a solution. 

The sound of a chair being pushed back broke the tension, and everyone's head snapped towards the back of the room. Next to him, Sayuri had stood up and sauntered towards the front of the room. When she reached the board, she politely bowed to the teacher. "If I may,  _sensei_ ," she offered, taking the chalk from his outstretched hand. In a few quick strokes, she had solved the problem just as the bell rang. Turning towards the slack-jawed teacher, Sayuri's mouth spread into a plastic grin and she clapped her hands together in fake glee. "My, that was quite a difficult problem!"

Akashi chuckled under his breath at the blatant lie. The teacher had barely finished writing down the question before the girl had gotten up to answer it.

"But don't you think it's unfair to use concepts you haven't covered yet,  _Sensei_?" she continued with a sneer, tossing the chalk back to him and making her way to her desk. She winked at Akashi before taking a seat, giving the flustered man in front of her an innocent look while she rested her chin in her hands. Humiliated, he gathered his things and hurried out the door as the next period's teacher walked in.

"Oh my, what a horrible first impression I've made," Sayuri yawned, not at all remorseful.

Maybe it wouldn't be a waste of time to get to know this girl, after all.

* * *

**— Present time, Rakuzan High School Dorms —**

"Hello? Earth to Sei!"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Akashi turned his attention to the girl on the screen in front of him. He watched her eyes crinkle as she giggled at his absentmindedness. He felt his face soften and he smiled.

"A penny for your thoughts?" she asked, placing her pencil down and cocking her head to the side.

"Just remembering how we first met," Akashi chuckled. He didn't know it then, but the moment she confronted that pompous fool of a teacher was when he fell in love with her. "You were quite the feisty one."

"Sei, please. Can we not bring up my horrible past?" she pleaded, her nose scrunching in embarrassment.

"While I wouldn't call that anything close to _horrible_ ," he teased, "you're wish is my command, your Highness."

Sayuri snorted. "Says the almighty emperor," she countered. "Anyway, I'd really like to finish this last problem set so I can fully enjoy my last couple weeks of summer," she insisted, already returning to the homework she was working on.

"Of course, my queen," Akashi crooned, making the girl blush. Ignoring his comment, her eyes stayed focused on the sheet before her.

Setting his summer homework aside for later, Akashi stared at his ex, who he was very much still in love with. It had been almost half a year since their break up and every day he regretted not fighting harder for her to stay.

His eyes flashed as he steeled his resolve.

He was going to win her back, anyone else be damned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to personal reasons, I won't be updating as often as before. I'll try to upload a chapter every couple days though! 
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading and I also appreciate any criticism you may have :)


	25. The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are you serious? Bokuto looks like a horned owl and Kuro has permanent bedhead,” he snorted. “And that’s their usual hairstyles.”
> 
> “Oi, look who’s talking, pudding head!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATED: November 16, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

“Sayu, we need to get going. We don't want to miss the bus to Shiratorizawa,” Yasufumi whispered, gently shaking his granddaughter awake, only for her to burrow deeper beneath the covers and mumble incoherently in response. "Come on, Kitten," he sighed, pulling her blanket away, "you can sleep on the way there."

Blindly reaching for the nearest pillow, the girl chucked it at the man before snatching her blanket back and throwing it over herself. “Five more minutes,  _Ji_ - _ji_ ,” she pleaded.

Clear to him that she wasn't going to move without force, her grandfather quietly chuckled. “Guess this calls for drastic measures,” he murmured with a glint in his eyes as he made his way to her bedroom door. “Oya?” he called out, before quickly stepping to the side.

Sayuri's eyes snapped open and she shot up when she realized what was about to happen. "No, no, no —"

“ _Oya_   _oya_?!”

“ _Oya_   _oya_   _oya_?!”

With more gusto than she thought possible for the time of day, Bokuto and Kuroo burst into her room. Alarmed, the ravenette scrambled to get out of bed and avoid being tackled by the two captains, but given the lack of her usual grace due to her drowsy state, she tripped over the blanket tangled around her legs and tumbled onto the ground.

Slowly pushing herself up, Sayuri groaned in pain, rubbing her sore nose as she glared up at the intruders. “I swear you all are the bane of my existence,” she growled, angrily ripping the blanket away from her and tossing it onto her bed before getting into a sitting position. “It’s like four in the freaking morning,” she grumbled, pressing her palms against her eyes while the two third-years cackled at her reaction, "Why are you two so annoying so early?!"

“Don’t worry Sayuri, you’re not the only one who’s troubled by their antics,” a soft voice chimed in and she lowered her hands to see Akaashi and Kenma standing in the doorway with identical apologetic looks on their faces.

“Sorry for intruding,” the Fukurodani setter continued as he and the other second-year pushed past their  _senpai_  to make their way over to the girl. “Bokuto- _san_  lives the closest to Fukurodani, so we all slept over at his house, and since you and Coach Nekomata were on our way to the school, Pain-In-The-Ass-Kuroo- _san_  and Bokuto- _san_  decided to make an impromptu visit,” he explained, extending a hand out to help her up. 

The two Tokyo schools had relatively small teams and it had been decided that they share a large bus to Sendai; the plan was for everyone to meet at Fukurodani and leave by 5 AM to arrive at Shiratorizawa by mid-morning, which explained the early wake-up call.

“Sure, because we were the only ones who wanted to see Neko- _chan_ ,” Kuroo smirked, sending knowing glances at the two younger boys, before turning his attention to the girl in front of him; eyeing her disheveled appearance, he gave her an appreciative once-over. “Nice look you’ve got going on, Kitten,” he whistled, earning an elbow to the stomach from his best friend.

“First of all, don't call me Kitten. And secondly, I look terrible — I'm in my pajamas and my hair's a mess,” Sayuri yawned, running a hand through her tangled black locks and absentmindedly tugging on the oversized shirt that draped over her body: it was one of Akashi’s old basketball jerseys, which he had given to her after they had won Nationals in their last year at Teiko.

Kenma shook his head in disagreement. Clearly, the girl was blind because to him, she looked just as beautiful as always, her vulnerable state after waking up only adding to her endearing charm. “Are you serious? Bokuto looks like a horned owl and Kuro has permanent bedhead,” he snorted, covering his face with his hand to hide the blush on his cheeks, “And that’s their usual hairstyles.”

“Oi, look who’s talking, pudding head!”

"Thanks, Kenma," the ravenette quietly giggled before it quickly dissolved into another yawn. Stretching her body, she mewled in satisfaction as she loosened her stiff muscles; with her hands above her head, the hem of the jersey crept higher up her thighs, only making the blush on the setter's face burn brighter and he struggled to look anywhere but at the girl in front of him.

Meanwhile, when she lowered her arms, the top of her shirt slipped down low to expose the pale skin of her bare collarbone and shoulder, and Akaashi swallowed nervously, his throat tight as he forced himself to keep a straight face.

Oblivious to the two second years' internal struggles, Sayuri flitted about the room and rummaged through her drawers for her gym clothes before shooing everyone out. “Let me quickly get ready. I’ll be done in five,” she promised, as she headed towards the bathroom and true to her word, she sped through her morning routine; throwing on her school jacket and slinging her bag over her shoulder, she did a mental check of her belongings before joining everyone else in the entryway.

With one last yawn, the girl yanked her front door open and ushered the group out, shutting and locking it behind her. "Alright, let's go," she said as the group made their way to the school, and she naturally fell into step between the two setters.

Rummaging through his duffel, Akaashi pulled out a plastic bag and handed it to the girl — inside, were two  _tsuna_ -mayo  _onigiris_  from the  _konbini_. Grateful for the food, the ravenette beamed at him in thanks just as something wet and cold pressed up against her cheek. A quiet yelp escaped her lips and she turned her head to see Kenma holding a bottle of apple juice; flashing him a smile as well, she took the drink from his outstretched hand.

"You guys are the greatest," Sayuri managed between bites, her eyes lighting up as she devoured her breakfast, "How'd you know that these were my favorite?"

With a soft chuckle, her schoolmate bopped her on the nose, only smiling bigger when she scrunched her face in response. "It's because you never get anything else when we're at the  _konbini_  or snack shop," he explained, much to the girl's chagrin, "And because it seems as if you have  _onigiri_  at least 3 days a week for lunch."

Poking him in the side, the girl frowned. "I do not," she grumbled, angrily chomping on the bite in her mouth. Turning to the other second-year, she tilted her head in question. "Kenma? How'd you know I liked apple juice?"

"I just figured you liked apples since you always grab one at meals," he replied, nervously scratching his cheek, "Do you not like it?"

"No, no, I love them!" the ravenette chirped, making the Nekoma setter blush at her use of words.

Soon, the group arrived at Fukurodani and once everyone from both teams had been accounted for, they all began boarding the bus. Sayuri had planned to sit with the other girls but before she could take the seat across of the managers, Kuroo and Bokuto took the girl captive.

"Sorry girls, but Sayuri- _chan_  is sitting with us!" the ace exclaimed as the two captains dragged the poor girl to the back of the bus, followed by their worried and exasperated setters.

"Bokuto- _san_ , Kuroo- _san_ , please let go of Sayuri," Akaashi sighed, placing an arm around the poor girl's waist and pulling her out of their grasps until she gently collided into his chest. While he steadied the ravenette, he ignored the middle blocker's curious stare and looked down at the girl in his arms. "Are you ok?"

Before she could respond, Kenma placed his hands on her shoulders and gently steered her toward the back of the bus. "Come on, Sayuri, we wouldn't want you to catch their bedhead," he murmured, eliciting a giggle from her.

When they reached the last row of seats, Akaashi slipped in first, followed by Sayuri and Kenma, the two second years sandwiched on either side of the girl, much to Bokuto's dismay and Kuroo's amusement. He patted his pouting friend on the back before looping an arm around his shoulder and guided him to the seat across from the three. "Don't be too put out, bro," he cackled, "You've still got me."

"It's not the same," the ace whined, though he obediently slid into the seat after his friend, "Sayuri- _chan_ 's soft and would make a great pillow; you're all hard and bony."

Eyeing the ravenette as he waggled his brows, earning a flash of the middle finger from her, the middle-blocker smirked. "I know, I know. Who wouldn't want to sleep next to such a beautiful girl, right Kenma?"

"Kuro, shut-up," the pudding-haired boy mumbled, narrowing his eyes at his childhood friend before turning to the girl as everyone settled into their seats and the bus roared to life, "Just ignore them, Sayuri, they're just being obnoxious."

Sayuri shook her head with an exasperated sigh before a long yawn escaped her lips. "Sorry," she apologized, sleepily rubbing her eyes, "I'm still pretty tired. Never really been a morning person," she mumbled as she tried to keep herself awake. With Akaashi on one side, pressed up against the window and quietly humming, and Kenma tapping away at his game on the other, it was a tight squeeze, but the warmth radiating off of the two and the gentle rocking of the bus only made her sleepier.

"We've got about four and a half hours before we get to Shiratorizawa," Akaashi whispered, patting her knee, "Why don't you rest?"

"We'll wake you up when we get there," the Kenma added, nudging her gently with his elbow.

Already drifting off, the girl hummed her thanks and closed her eyes, quickly falling asleep.

* * *

Kenma was  ~~so happy he could die~~  suffering.

An hour into the ride and his console already laid forgotten in his lap, his focus elsewhere as his hands shakily curled and uncurled against his thighs. Though he had managed to keep a calm exterior, he was panicking on the inside.

At some point, Sayuri had settled her head onto the boy's shoulder and leaned her body into his. His arm had grown numb from supporting her weight but Kenma couldn't bring himself to free himself — correction: he  _didn't_ want to move her. He didn't often interact with girls, and despite this being only the second time he'd come into physical contact with the younger Nekomata, he was still surprised by how soft her body was. It was apparent the girl had toned muscles from many years of sports, but while he and his friends were all sharp angles and straight lines, her body was strong yet supple, giving way to curves that made his mouth dry. His mind went blank as her deep and steady breathing continuously pushed her chest against his arm.

Four hours, let alone one, was a long time to be seated next to the girl he loved, her body flushed against him.

_Love_?

The boy frowned at the word. He had met her only two weeks prior and yet it almost scared him how strong his feelings for her were — feelings he had never experienced before, but even he understood what they meant. But how could he not love her? She was perfect in every way; beautiful, kind, and comfortable to be around, never pushing him to be anyone else but himself.

He should have been thrilled at this revelation, but there was something else pressing on his mind: the other, more formidable opponents, who felt the same as he did about the girl, and who all had some sort of advantage over him.

The childhood friend.

The beloved  _senpai._

And lastly, perhaps the most dangerous of them all, the ex.

Kenma could feel his self-confidence hit rock bottom as he compared himself to his rivals and he heaved a long sigh; his eyes scanned the sleeping faces of his teammates and friends, and he was thankful that no one was conscious to witness his struggles.

Shifting his body in favor of a more comfortable position, he felt Sayuri stir; his muscles tensed as the girl tilted her head up to look at him with heavy-lidded eyes, clearly still dreaming. She tortured him with a sleepy smile before her head drooped back onto his shoulder to nuzzle into the crook of his neck, and he shivered at her touch. "Kenma," she exhaled softly, her breath fanning across his skin.

Throwing a glance at the messy-haired boy snoozing on the other side of the ravenette, Kenma felt a bit smug at his small victory and in a fit of courage, he grabbed the girl's hand, lacing his fingers through hers as he placed their joined hands in his lap, replacing the console that was now in his bag. Resting his head on hers, he nestled his nose into her hair, drinking in her scent and warmth until sleep took over.

* * *

Akaashi's dreams usually involved him seemingly waking up and going about his daily routine — only to wake up  _again_. They were so realistic that sometimes, he had trouble distinguishing dream from reality. That's why, when he was jolted awake as the bus made a sharp turn, he didn't think anything of the situation he found himself in.

Because there was no way his crush would be sleeping in his lap like she belonged there  _unless_  he was dreaming.

Before being slammed against the side of the bus by its sudden movement, he had been dreaming about their study "date" at his house the previous Saturday. It had begun as it had happened in real life, with the two running through the streets as they attempted to escape the unexpected downpour, arriving at his place thoroughly drenched.

However, this time, when he opened the door, no one answered.

They were alone.

Without his mother to keep him in check, Akaashi could hardly contain his desires and he grabbed the ravenette's hand, quickly leading her to his bedroom while disregarding the trail of water they left on the floor in their wake. Yanking his door open and letting it slam shut behind them, he pressed her up against the wall as a flurry of his hands worked to get the sopping clothes off, his lips roaming her body as more and more skin became bare.

Gently tossing her onto his bed, he admired the girl before him: her long black hair, normally in a neat ponytail or braid, now loose and in disarray; her lips pink and swollen from his own; and her lust-filled eyes staring up at him through thick lashes. He swallowed audibly and with a throaty growl, pounced, careful to not crush her as he hovered over her, ready to loose himself in the beautiful creature under him...

With a loud and painful  _thud_ , the side of Akaashi's head made contact with the glass of the window and he let loose a low groan as he rubbed the sore spot on his temple. Somewhat coming to his senses and taking stock of his situation, he noticed that there was a heavy weight on his chest and glanced down to see Sayuri snoring softly against him with her arm draped around his waist.

_I guess I'm still dreaming_ , he thought, his mind still groggy from his rude awakening and wanting to fully enjoy this "dream" of his, the boy pulled her closer, burying his face into her hair as he drifted back into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Umm...what is this?!" Yaku asked incredulously, his hands on his hips as he looked at the scene before him.

It was about ten minutes before the group reached Shiratorizawa and the team mother of Nekoma had taken it upon himself to wake up his children, slowly making his way from the front to the back of the bus. When he reached the last row, he immediately honed in on the two knocked out captains, and when they didn't respond to his calls, he resoted to slapping them awake. Once they sputtered back to life, an exasperated sigh escaped the libero's lips before he turned to the seat next to them, his mouth falling open in shock when he laid his eyes on the mess of tangled limbs and bodies.

During the ride, Sayuri had somehow moved such that she was seated in Akaashi's lap, her body curled up against the boy's chest while his head rested on hers with an arm wrapped tightly around her upper body, just under her collarbone. Next to the two, Kenma was bent over the ravenette's legs, his face pressed into her flat belly as he hugged her waist, and when one of the girl's hands lodged itself into his hair and began stroking the soft locks, he purred softly as if he were a pet cat.

A muffled snicker made the third-year turn around and he frowned at his smirking captain. "How'd they even get into this position?" he questioned, only earning a noncommital shrug in response. 

"Who cares, Yakkun? They're so cute!" Shirofuku interrupted with a quiet squeal as she pulled out her phone to take pictures of the three. "This is the first time I've ever seen Akaashi so defenseless and innocent."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Kuroo gave a low whistle, proud of his best friend. "Didn't know Kenma had it in him."

"Ok, they're cute, but we should wake them up. We're almost at Shiratorizawa," Yaku sighed, reaaching out to shake his  _kouhai_ awake, only to be stopped by the middle-blocker.

"No, I need to take as many pictures as possible!" he hissed, proceeding to follow the manager and snap photos of the trio.

A hand came from behind and plucked the boy's phone from his hands and Kuroo frowned. "Oi, give that back!" he protested.

"Just leave them alone," Kai chided, making his way back to the front of the bus with his captain's cell.

" _Hai_ ,  _otousan_ ," the boy grumbled in response. When all their backs were turned, he placed a hand on Shirofuku's shoulder and leaned close her ear. "Send me the photos, will you?" he whispered, a shit-eating grin on his face.

Returning with a smirk of her own and a wink, the girl chuckled.

"You got it, dude." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which we see that Akaashi is just your typical, hormone-driven teenage boy.
> 
> But also like, GET IT KENMA.


	26. Gurl Look At That Body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Alright you sexy muthafuckers, TIME TO STRIP!" Shirofuku commanded with a hungry glint in her eyes as she burst through the locker room doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yukie is who I wish I was.
> 
> UPDATED: November 18, 2018
> 
> ♥♥♥

The Tokyo teams arrived in Sendai just in time for the morning's practice matches. When she had opened her eyes, Sayuri found herself being piggy-backed by Akaashi with Kenma walking next to them carrying the girl's bag as the group made their way to their sleeping quarters.

"Keiji- _kun_?!" she gasped, squirming in embarrassment, "Put me down, I must be heavy!"

She felt his body vibrate beneath her as he chuckled. "You're so light, it's the same as carrying my backpack," he insisted, doing a couple spins to emphasize his point and eliciting a few surprised squeals from the girl.

"Will you two lovebirds stop flirting with each other?" Shirofuku teased airily as she passed them, cackling when the second-year grunted in response.

Though she couldn't see his face, the ravenette noticed the boy's ears had turned pink and she buried her reddening face into his back. "Thanks, Keiji- _kun_ , but I can walk now," she murmured, and at her request, was gently set down. Back on her feet, she stretched her stiff muscles and then turned to the blonde boy with a small smile. "And thanks for carrying my stuff, Kenma," she said, holding a hand out for him to pass over her stuff.

Instead, he moved closer to her, grabbing her outstretched hand and gently pulling her forward as he headed towards the school. "Don't worry about it," Kenma muttered, not looking back at her, and for that she was grateful; she could feel her face burning at his boldness and she stared in bewilderment at the back of the boy's head, too shocked to do anything but follow his lead.

When they reached the others, the setter quickly dropped her hand and thrust her bag into her arms, avoiding her wide eyes. Hugging it to her chest, Sayuri finally snapped out of it and quietly giggled, smiling at both of the boys on either side of her.

"Must've been one cozy bus ride, eh?" Kuroo smirked, slinging an arm around his best friend's shoulders, making the blonde flinch nervously. "All of you snuggled up toge—"

"Akgeeshi, stop hogging Sayuri- _chan_ all to yourself!" Bokuto interrupted with a pout, latching himself onto his the raven-haired boy's arm, "It's unfair!"

Patting the ace's hair, which had managed to stay up despite having been crushed against the window as the boy slept, Akaashi sighed. "Bokuto- _san_ , we are not "hogging" Sayuri; Kenma and I figured it be more comfortable for her to sit with us since you two are much larger," he explained with what he hoped was a solid excuse. Turning to the other third-year, he frowned, fidgeting with his fingers. "And, Kuroo- _san_ , I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Uh, uh, uh! You know exactly what I'm talking about," the Nekoma captain countered, his lips turning up into a shit-eating grin, "And I've got pictures to prove it!"

"Pictures?" Sayuri squeaked, whipping her head around at the group for an answer, "What pictures?"

Not one to read the mood, the wing-spiker jumped in with excitement. "On the bus ride here, you three were—" he started, only for the rest of his sentence to be muffled as the middle blocker slapped a hand over his mouth.

Shaking his head, he waggled his brows at the confused ravenette. "Nope, sorry, Neko- _chan_! Can't be giving away all my secrets," the third-year teased wrapping an arm around his friend's neck and dragging him to where the coaches and other captains had gathered. "If you want to know, you should ask your two _boyfriends_ ," he threw over his shoulder.

"Boyfriends?! What is that pain-in-the-ass cat talking about?" Sayuri sputtered with a panicked look, though it fell on deaf ears; the two remaining boys were trying desperately to avoid the girl's piercing stare. "Keiji- _kun_? Kenma?!"

"Oh look, there's Shouyou," Kenma suddenly stammered, ignoring the girl's question before basically sprinting to the orange-haired boy.

When he left, she turned to the other second-year, who finally met her eyes with a sigh. "Really, it's nothing," Akaashi assured her, gently guiding her by the shoulders towards the others. "Just ignore Kuroo- _san_ ; I'm sure it's just a dumb photo of us drooling or something while we were sleeping."

She was unconvinced but didn't question him further.

* * *

"Alright you sexy muthafuckers, TIME TO STRIP!" Shirofuku commanded with a hungry glint in her eyes as she burst through the locker room doors.

Mid-change, many of the boys just looked at the girl in shock before scrambling to cover themselves while others quickly hid behind the nearest trash can or locker. "Yukippe, what's up?" Bokuto greeted, not at all bothered by her sudden appearance. Unabashedly, he continued to change, completely at ease, under her scrutinizing stare.

Before the girl could cause any more havoc, two pairs of hands wrapped themselves around the manager's arms and pulled her back, holding her in place. "Yukie- _senpai_ , please stop harassing them," Suzumeda scolded, tightening her grip on her upperclassman as Shimizu nodded in agreement.

"Seriously Yukie- _senpai_ , you're scaring the children!" Sayuri added as she made her way into the locker room, pointing to the frightened first-years; nearby, she noticed Karasuno's decoy frozen in fear and she ran over to place her hands on his cheeks, pulling his face close to hers. "Look, Hinata's not even breathing!" she sputtered, smoothing back his hair; worriedly, she protectively enveloped him into and patted his head. "There, there," she cooed, "Mommy's here to protect you — Daddy just doesn't have a filter."

"Did someone say my name?" a voice chimed in and the ravenette looked up to see Hanamaki _kabedoning_ her against the locker, "Sayurin, you can call me _daddy_ anytime," he purred, earning a slap in the head from Iwaizumi; rubbing the sore spot, he pouted. "Fuck, Iwa- _chan_ , can't you give a guy a break?" 

Sayuri dramatically gasped at the boy's use of a cuss word and she raised her hands to cover both of Hinata's ears, smashing his head against her chest as she pulled him away from the third-year. "Don't taint my child with your dirty words," she frowned, tightening her arms around the smaller boy.

Hanamaki waggled his brows suggestively. "Oh, Kitten, I've got much more dirty words—"

" _Ahem_ ," someone coughed, and the two looked to see the angelic vice-captain of Karasuno. "Uh, Sayuri- _san_? I'm sure you don't mean any harm, but I think you're making things worse," he chuckled as he and Daichi gently pried a limp Hinata from her embrace, the poor boy's face looking as if he had passed out. "Anyway, the coaches want us to head outside. They've got an important announcement for us."

Filing out into the gym, everyone gathered around the coaches while carefully avoiding the managers, traumatized by the locker room fiasco that occurred just moments before. "Since it's the last week of training camps, we're going to have a physical assessment to see how much you all have improved over the past couple weeks," Coach Ukai announced as Takeda- _sensei_ handed a clipboard to each girl, "As Shirofuku- _san_ so kindly mentioned earlier, we'll need all of you to remove your shirts," he added, explaining Shirofuku's outburst and eliciting quiet groans from the group.

"Nekoma, please come with me," Shimizu stated, motioning for the cats to follow her, and realizing that they'd be separated from the black-haired beauty, Nishinoya and Tanaka cried out in despair.

"Sorry boys, we'll be borrowing your goddess for a bit," Kuroo smirked at the second-years, just as he felt a crushing grip on his shoulder; turning his head, he came face-to-face with Karasuno's captain, with what would normally be considered a pleasant expression if not for the menacing aura he was emitting. The middle blocker gulped and nodded in response to the boy's silent warning before following the rest of his team. "Remind me to never get on your bad side, Dadchi," he muttered, rubbing his sore shoulder.

Ukai cleared his throat, pointing a finger at the petite blonde manager. "Karasuno, you'll be with Yachi,", he said, shooing his team with his hand.

"I know I'm not Kiyoko- _san_ , but I hope you'll be alright with me," the girl squeaked as she deeply bowed; elated that they'd gotten their schoolmate, Nishinoya and Tanaka ran towards her for what was presumed to be a flying high five — only to be pulled back by the collar by Ennoshita.

Waving her hands in the air, Suzumeda called out to her team with a grin. "I'm in charge of Fukurodani!" she shouted and Bokuto bounded over to where she stood, lifting her into the air and twirling her around a few times before Akaashi rushed over to help the poor girl.

Meanwhile, the remaining two teams were warily eyeing Fukurodani's other manager, each praying that they wouldn't find themselves under her eager stare. "I hope we get Neko- _chan_!" Oikawa exclaimed aloud as he glanced at his rival, "That way Ushiwaka will have to get —"

"Tough luck, pretty-boy, but you'll have to settle for me," Shirofuku interjected with a laugh, much to the setter's chagrin, "Now, let's see those yummy bodies of yours!"

Sidling up next to Matsukawa, she slapped the middle blocker's butt, prompting the boy to sputter in surprise before his hands shot to cover himself from another attack — but the girl had already moved on, continuing her assault as she wrapped her arms around Iwaizumi's waist. Running her hands under his shirt, she lifted it to reveal his chiseled abs and the boy's face burned bright red as he tried to untangle himself from her iron grip. "That's what I'm talking about!" the brunette purred as she felt up the ace's body.

"Get away from my Iwa- _chan_!" Oikawa cried, yanking the girl off his boyfriend, throwing himself in between the two and standing in front of the shorter boy protectively.

"Don't worry, Oikawa, I'm not trying to steal your man," Shirofuku cackled, unfazed, throwing a wink at Seijoh's blushing ace and his pouting setter, "But I must say, your boyfriend's got quite an impressive build!" Ignoring the glares coming from the team's captain, she licked her lips as she scanned the rest of the boys. "You guys are still way too overdressed. I thought I told you to show me some skin!" she hollered, stalking her next victim.

The rest of Fukurodani only chuckled at the girl's antics, used to her unique way of appreciating the muscles of athletes. "Yukippe's a little touchy, but she's mostly harmless," Bokuto called out, giving her a thumbs-up, which she returned with a Cheshire grin.

"Yay! That means we're with Sayuri- _sama_!" Goshiki cheered as he and the rest of Shiratorizawa's team made their way over to her. 

As she double-checked that everyone was present, Tendou slung an arm around her shoulder and leaned in close. "Neko- _chan_ " the middle-blocker sang, waving a finger in the air before bopping her on the nose, "Try not to fall in love with me after you see my hot body!"

An irked expression made its way onto the ravenette's face and she gingerly removed herself from the middle blocker's embrace. "I'll try not to," she scoffed, briefly glancing down at her clipboard before lifting her gaze at the boys crowded around her. "Please remove your shirts," she instructed, taking the measuring tape from her pocket and pointing at the only first-year on the team. "Goshiki, let's start with you. Raise your arms,  _onegai_."

Quick and efficient, Sayuri took his measurements, deftly switching between wrapping the tape around his body and jotting down notes onto the clipboard, and when she was done, patted the boy on the back. "Shirabu- _san_! You're up next," she called out, completely unperturbed by the shirtless boys surrounding her. Unlike Yachi, who looked like she was going to pass out, she was mostly immune to seeing half-naked athletes — Aomine, Kise, and the rest of her friends from Teiko were never afraid to show skin in front of her.

However, it didn't mean she didn't appreciate the eye-candy.

Though she didn't express the same outward enthusiasm as Shirofuku, she quietly appraised their toned muscles: years of volleyball and intense training did wonders to these boys' bodies, and though she tried to keep a straight face as she quickly measured the group, internally, she was a fangirling. So focused on the task at hand, she wasn't aware that she was openly ogling her childhood friend when it was his turn.

_Damn, Toshi-kun looks good._

To say he was built was an understatement — he was _ripped_. Beefy arms and bulging biceps explained how he was able to deliver such devastating serves and spikes; his broad shoulders tapered down to a slim, but muscular, waist and she could tell that his washboard abs were defined from daily exercise. Sayuri's eyes wandered across and down the expanse of his sculpted torso, only stopping when it disappeared beneath the waistband of his shorts and her cheeks burned when she realized she had been staring.

She shook her head to snap herself back to reality, but her mouth was dry as she unsteadily walked closer to the fine specimen before her. She carefully brushed her fingers over his skin and stiffly went through the motions of taking his measurements, not at all surprised at his impressive stats — with him being one of the top three aces in the country  _and_ a Youth World Championship representative, the boy did not disappoint.

"That's our captain: miracle-boy Wakatoshi!!" Tendou teased, whispering in the girl's ear just as she had finished and making her jump. Flustered the girl could only sputter something unintelligible in response before she scampering away.

With everyone's measurements taken, the girls regrouped to compare numbers. "Bokuto- _san_ is buff, but the only other people that would come close would be Washio- _senpai_ or Wataru- _kun_ ," Suzumeda thought aloud, tapping her chin as she looked at her notes, "Shiratorizawa, on the other hand, has high-specs across the board." 

"Shiratori- _WOWZA_ , am I right?" the manager whistled, nudging the ravenette's side as she sidled up next to the girl. "So what did those muscles feel like?!"

"Shut up," Sayuri replied, shoving the older girl away to hide her reddening face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is from the song "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO


	27. Sometimes Your Knight in Shining Armor is Just a Super Volleyball Idiot in Sweats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "C'mon, it's just a phone number!"
> 
> "We promise you a good time," someone else suggested.
> 
> "Look, I know that you boys have nothing better to do with your pathetic lives than to unsuccessfully hit on me," she sneered, her eyes narrowing in disgust, "but I have somewhere I need to be and things I need to do that do not involve your sleazy asses. So please take your miserable attempts at flirting elsewhere."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY FUCK I FINALLY FINISHED! Sorry this took so long >.<
> 
> My anxiety has been pretty bad lately so I couldn't bring myself to write for a while. Hopefully this isn't as shitty as I think it is!
> 
> Also, I just wanted to thank you all for taking the time to read this. I've always loved to daydream and come up with stories in my head, but never had the confidence to write it all out. My life these past couple years while I was in college was essentially taken over by my mental disorders, which led to some really dark times, and I was just too overwhelmed to even be myself. But now that I've graduated and somewhat gotten a better hold on my life, I've finally gotten the chance to share my stories with others. Didn't mean for this to get sappy, but it really does mean the world to me that people are reading my content (even though it is not entirely original). So again, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
> 
> As always, I appreciate any comments or criticism you may have! :)

It was already the middle of the week and the last training camp was well under way. Everyone was working their hardest to get the most out of each practice match — every moment on the court was an opportunity at improvement that no one wanted to miss out on. With the morning matches of the third day coming to a end, the girls had gone off to get lunch ready while the rest of them freshened up. The captains had stayed back to tidy the courts in preparation for the afternoon's activities.

"Hey, have any of you seen Sayu- _nyan_?" Shirofuku asked, poking her head into the gym.

Almost comically, the boys paused what they were doing and all five heads swiveled to face the girl. "Neko- _chan_?" Oikawa mused, "I haven't seen her since you girls left to make lunch."

"Hmm...where could she be?" the manager wondered, worry etched on her face.

"Could she be getting something from your room?" Daichi questioned, tossing the ball he was holding into the cart. "Or maybe she's in the bathroom?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "We ran out of a few ingredients and Sayu- _nyan_ offered to go get them. She should have been back by now."

Ushijima frowned. "You let her go alone?" he scolded, crossing his arms over his broad chest as he glared at the girl.

"Whoa, calm down," Kuroo drawled, placing a hand on the ace's shoulder. "Neko- _chan_ is a big girl and can go by herself," he assured. Ushijima briefly glanced at the cat before giving Shirofuku a nod.

"I apologize for lashing out at you," Ushijima admitted.

Shirofuku fanned her hand in front of her face. "It's alright. I know you're worried for her," she said. "I hope she's not lost—" Just then, the girl was thrown forward as someone collided into her from behind. "What the fuck?!" she shrieked, landing into Bokuto's arms and barely avoiding falling face-first onto the floor.

" _Gomenasai,_  Shirofuku- _senpai_!" Goshiki shouted, bowing deeply. The boy was panting heavily, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "Are you ok?!" he wheezed.

"I'm fine," Shirofuku grumbled as Bokuto helped her to her feet. "Where's the fire?"

"Baseball team...Sayuri- _sama_...outside the nurse's office," Goshiki gasped, his eyes wide as he stared at his  _senpai_  for help. A menacing look settled over the captain's features and without further explanation, Ushijima bolted out the door, leaving the other third-years confused.

Only the sounds of the first-year's labored breathing filled the air. When the shock wore off, Daichi raised his eyebrows at the younger boy. "Could you explain what's going on?"

Goshiki straightened, taking a large gulp of air as he looked at the group around him. "I ran out of salonpas spray and had an extra bottle in my school locker. On my way there, I saw the baseball team surrounding Sayuri- _sama_ ," he blubbered. "She looked really uncomfortable." The boy paused, his lips turning down into a grimace. "Shiratorizawa's baseball team is notorious for hitting on girls," he added, "and they don't like taking  _no_ for an answer. A lot of girls in my class are always complaining about them."

"Oh shit, Sayuri- _chan_ 's in trouble!" Bokuto exclaimed, sprinting out the door. A few seconds later he returned, a sheepish smile on his face. "Uh,  _patsun-kun_ , can you show us where the nurse's office is?" he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

" _Patsun-kun_?" Goshiki wondered aloud as Kuroo cackled.

Daichi groaned at the two Tokyo captains. "He means you, Goshiki- _kun_ ," Oikawa clarified, "because of your cute bangs!". The boy's eyes lit up, elated at the nickname rather than offended. He proudly puffed his chest and strutted towards the doors, the rest of them right behind him.

"Follow me!" he huffed.

* * *

"Hey, sweet thing. I haven't seen you around school before."

_Kabe-don_? Sayuri thought, taking a quick glance at the arm next to her head before lifting her gaze to stare up at the boy pinning her against the wall. She was trying her hardest not to roll her eyes, but she failed miserably.  _Is this some cliché shoujo manga?_

"There are people waiting for me, so if you would excuse me..." she sighed, stepping to the side.

The boys surrounding were determined to not let her get away, as one of them blocked her escape. He caged her in and bent forward, his face so close to hers that Sayuri could smell his breath on her face. "Sure, just give us your number," he said with a smirk, his friends laughing in appreciation of his apparently "smooth" move. Sayuri exhaled sharply through gritted teeth, her fists clenched in annoyance.

_Why do I always attract the degenerates?_  Sayuri internally complained.  _I really do not have time for this bullshit._

While preparing lunch, the girls noticed they had run out of a few ingredients; since the market was nearby, Sayuri had offered to go alone, ignoring the protests of the others and insisting that she could do it herself. Sure enough, she was able to find her way and had successfully gotten everything they needed without a hitch— until she found herself cornered by Shiratorizawa's baseball team. She was so close too; if she had just made it around the corner, she'd be at the kitchens. But unfortunately, they had caught her as she was walking past the nurse's office.

"C'mon, it's just a phone number!"

"We promise you a good time," someone else suggested, wiggling his eyebrows. The one closest to her reached up to twirl a stray lock of hair, licking his lips as he stared at her with leering eyes.

Sayuri slapped his hand away. "Look, I know that you boys have nothing better to do with your _pathetic_ lives than to unsuccessfully hit on me," she sneered, her eyes narrowing in disgust, "but I have somewhere I need to be and things I need to do that do not involve your sleazy asses. So please take your miserable attempts at flirting elsewhere."

"You ungrateful bitch!" the boy roared, his hand rearing back to slap her. Sayuri shut her eyes tightly in anticipation of the pain, but nothing came. Cautiously, she opened her eyes.

There in front of her stood Ushijima, shielding her from harm like a knight in shining armor.

Ushijima leaned in close, his lips right next to the baseball player's ear. "Do you want to die?" he threatened, one hand clutching the boy's wrist as the other clamped onto his throat.

"Who the fuck are you?" he spat, wincing in pain as Ushijima tightened his grip. The other boy uselessly clawed at the apathetic captain's fingers, scratching the skin raw until it drew blood.

"Wait, you're Ushijima Wakatoshi!" someone yelped. At his name, Ushijima straightened to his full height and intimidatingly towered over the group. "Fuck, dude, it's not worth messing with him. Let's get out of here!" another swore, tugging his teammate's shoulder. The boy yanked himself free of Ushijima's grasp and the baseball team scrambled to leave the scene.

Sayuri breathed a sigh of relief as she rested her forehead against Ushijima's back, the groceries falling to the floor when her clenched fists went slack. "Thanks Toshi- _kun_ ," she exhaled, wrapping her arms around her childhood friend. At her touch, he relaxed, slowly releasing his pent-up anger.

Ushijima slowly turned around to face her, careful not to break out of her embrace. His own arms circled her waist and he gently buried his face into her hair. "Are you alright?" he murmured, his voice deep with worry; the tenderness of his words made her tremble.

"Mmhmm," she mumbled into his chest, nodding her head. He pulled back slightly to examine her expression, assessing the truth of her statement. Not breaking eye-contact, Sayuri tugged him closer. "Really, I'm ok," she affirmed, giving him a small smile. "Thank you again for helping me."

Ushijima returned the smile with one of his own and he lifted a hand to brush back her hair from her face. Now that she was no longer in harm's way, Sayuri noticed the blood.

"Toshi- _kun_! You're bleeding!" she gasped, gingerly cupping his scratched hand as she lead him into the nurse's office. "Can you still play volleyball?" she worried, disinfecting his injuries. 

"It's not a big deal," he reassured her, "You don't have to worry so much."

"Yes I do!" Sayuri blurted. Ushijima's eyes widened at her outburst, but said nothing. "I'm sorry," she whispered, fixing her gaze down as she finished dressing his wound. She delicately brushed her fingers against his hand. "It's my fault that you're hurt. If I hadn't gotten into trouble, you wouldn't have had to save me. I'm so sorry...," she sniffled, tears threatening to spill.

"Like I said, it's not a big deal. I'm just glad you weren't hurt," his deep voice rumbled. Though her eyes were still watery, Sayuri managed a wobbly smile. Just then, Sayuri's phone buzzed. Reaching into her pocket, she saw that Akashi had sent her a text.

Ushijima noticed that her eyes lit up with happiness at whatever the red-head had said. The ace's heart clenched and he bit the inside of his cheek to stop the uneasiness that was bubbling up within him. With his unscathed hand, Ushijima caressed Sayuri's cheek, his calloused thumb drawing circles on her skin.

"Let me just say something. It's out of the blue, but please hear me out." She hummed in response and he pressed his forehead against hers, preventing her from replying to the text. "Akashi- _san_ , he's much more amazing than expected, right?"

_Does he mean Sei?_ Sayuri thought, pulling away slightly so that she could look up at him. She cocked her head, silently urging him to carry on.

"But," he continued, his eyes never leaving hers, "I'm not going to lose. Though I may be incompetent now, I'm going to do my best," Ushijima declared, running his hands gently down her arms to link the fingers of his good hand with hers. The tenderness in his actions and the passionate look in his eyes sent shivers down Sayuri's spine.

Sayuri's face scrunched in confusion. "Uhh, I don't really understand what you mean," she replied, perpelexed by his confession. "You two play different sports —"

"I'm not talking about sports," he grunted. Before she could ask him what he meant, he just shook his head. "That's all I wanted to tell you," he stated as he backed away, increasing the distance between them as he made his way over to the door. "Let's go, I'm sure the other managers are wondering where you are." Ushijima yanked the door open, revealing the concerned faces of Shirofuku, Goshiki, and the other captains.

"SAYU- _NYAN_ ," Shirofuku wailed, "I was so worried about you!" Inspecting for any injuries, she threw her arms around the younger girl when her examination came up clean. With a cry, Goshiki joined the group hug as well, squeezing the two girls tightly.

"Sorry for troubling you, Yukie- _senpai_ ," Sayuri apologized, patting the girl's back. "You too, Tsutomu," she said, ruffling his hair affectionately.

Both Bokuto and Kuroo playfully punched Ushijima in the arm. "Good thing big ol' Ushiwaka was there to save you!" Kuroo cheered, his teasing tone softened by the apparent relief in his eyes.

"At least Ushiwaka is good for something," Oikawa grumbled, earning a smack in the back of the head from Daichi as the group exited the room, with Sayuri and Ushijima trailing behind the others.

"Oh!" she gasped, tugging on his shirt as she remembered why she had gone out in the first place. Collecting the bags of groceries that she had dropped outside the nurse's office, Ushijima recognized the ingredients for hayashi rice, his favorite dish.

Giggling at his surprised expression, she pushed up onto her toes so that she could whisper in his ear.

"Happy birthday, Toshi- _kun_!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Got the inspiration for this chapter from both Kiyoko's run in with Terushima from Johzenji High (chapter 105 in the manga or episode 13 of the Second Season of the anime) and chapter 23 & 24 of _Haru Matsu Bokura_ (love that manga as well!). 
> 
> First of all, I love Terushima's tongue piercing. I have a lot of piercings myself and I'm happy that one of my favorite mangas/animes is progressive enough that they are ok with piercings (even though they initially make him out to be sort of a bad guy).
> 
> Secondly, the Haru Matsu Bokura inspired portion of this chapter is a little different because in this case, the love interest gets hurt when protecting the heroine, rather than being burned by a firework. Isn't it more romantic this way? :P
> 
> NOTE 2: Title is refers to Ohira Reon's nickname for Ushijima.
> 
> NOTE 3: Not trying to say baseball players are douchebags, but I wanted to choose a sport that was during the same season as volleyball. Many baseball players I know are well-mannered and wonderful people.


	28. Clash of the Crushes: The Ex Strikes Back (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sudden visit from the _Kiseki no Sedai_ creates tension between the rivals. 
> 
> Leave it to Akashi to rile everyone up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait!
> 
> Here's a pretty lengthy chapter!!! It would have been even longer, but I split it up into two chapters. 
> 
> Enjoy! :D

"RYU, NICE KILL!" Nishinoya shouted, flying at his best friend to give him a high-five.

The last night of the training camps had quickly arrived and the boys were busy playing in the final matches of the night; currently on the courts were Shiratorizawa against Seijoh and Fukurodani versus Karasuno. The owls had easily taken the first set, but the crows were coming back at them with full force in the second.

"Don't mind, don't mind!" Sayuri called out to her schoolmates. "It was probably just a fluke!"

She heard a strangled gurgle come from Tanaka, and she saw the crestfallen expression that had replaced his once lively grin. "Sorry, Tanaka- _senpai_! You did great!" she quickly acquiesced, feeling guilty that she had dampened the boy's mood — Sayuri knew how hard he had been working on his super inner cross spike the past couple weeks and only now had he finally pulled it off; however, she couldn't  _not_ cheer for her own school's team. She was glad to see that adding the  _senpai_  honorific to his name seemed to cheer him up immensely.

" _OSSU_!" Tanaka roared, his energy renewed. "Take that, you city boys!" Tanaka challenged, earning snickers from both Tsukishima and Yamaguchi.

Crisis averted, Sayuri turned her attention to the other match at present. Though the two other Miyagi teams were more or less even in terms of ability, Shiratorizawa had the upper hand due to the brute strength of all their players; however, Oikawa was a cunning player and, with their captain's natural ability to draw out the maximum potential of his teammates, Seijoh was able to hold their own against the powerhouse.

The seemingly unending deadlock came to end with Shiratorizawa taking the first set, Ushijima delivering the final blow. Ever impassive, the stoic ace showed no signs of emotion over his team's win — unlike his teammates, who were slapping him on the back with grins on their faces. Seijoh, on the other hand, wore expressions of annoyance and frustration; Oikawa didn't bother to hide his disdain for his rival, glaring daggers at the ace as the teams switched sides of the court.

Sayuri was lost in thought, so focused on observing the ongoing matches in front of her that she didn't notice the gym doors opening; just as Konoha scored the match point, with Fukurodani barely winning, a shout echoed throughout the building.

"Shit, that was pretty intense!"

Sayuri's head whipped around to find the source of the voice. In shock, she watched as none other than her middle schools friends, the _Kiseki no Sedai_ , walked through the gym doors.

"Holy shit, they're  _huge_ ," Tendou whispered, nudging his captain in the side. "That purple-haired guy is easily two meters!"

Everyone paused, all eyes on the newcomers; at the sight of such large and intimidating people, many were cowering in fear behind their teammates. Hinata and Yamaguchi were pale and Shimizu was tending to a frightened Yachi.

"Aomine- _kun_ , your language, please," Kuroko chided, as the group made their way to Coach Nekomata. "Hello Ji-ji, it's good to see you," the bluenette greeted, deeply bowing to the older man.

Yasufumi fondly ruffled the hair of the small boy. "Tetsuya, it's been so long! Thanks for always taking care of Sayu," he chortled, eyes crinkling with warmth as he turned to the others.

"JI-JI!" Momoi cried, throwing herself into the older man's arms and somehow trapping Kuroko between them in the process.

"Yo, Ji-ji, you're still looking young!" Aomine joked, joining in on the hug with a smirk on his face.

"It's good to see you again, Ji-ji," Midorima added, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. Murasakibara remained silent, but came up behind Yasufumi to wraps his long arms around the entire group, resting his chin on the older man's head.

"I've missed you all, as well!" he chuckled. Having recently seen the old man, the small forward and point guard stood to the side. Gold eyes scanned the gym, lighting up when they found what they were looking for.

"SAYURICCHI!" Kise hollered at the still dumbfounded girl.

Recovering from the surprise, a large grin split Sayuri's beautiful face. She ran towards the group and Kise held his arms out for a hug; however, she sprinted past him and launched herself into the arms of the boy next to him, forgetting in her excitement that they were not alone. Aomine, Midorima, and Murasakibara sent knowing looks at each other.

"Sei!" Sayuri shrieked, embracing Akashi like a koala.

He smiled at her response and tenderly pressed his forehead to hers. "Hello Sayu," he murmured. "If you're going to greet me like this every time you see me, I should visit you more often," he teased.

"You should visit Tokyo more often, regardless," Sayuri rebuked, pouting as she pulled back to look at her friends. "Hey guys!" she beamed, still clinging to the red-head — not that he was complaining. Akashi gripped the girl tighter and buried his face into the crook of her neck, only lifting his eyes to send a smug look over her shoulder. Behind them, three pairs of eyes glared back at the boy.

Kuroo patted his best friend's head. "Whoa, calm down there tiger," he muttered. Kenma ignored his captain and swatted his hand away in annoyance.

"Fuck this guy," Akaashi growled, making Bokuto jump. The horned owl looked at his setter, confused by the sudden onset of anger.

The Shiratorizawa boys stiffened at the menacing aura rolling off their captain in waves. "Wakatoshi...," Jin breathed, careful not to upset the boy any further.

Giggling softly at the tickling sensation of his breath on her skin, she lightly ran her fingers through Akashi's red locks. "It's great to see you all, but why are you guys here in Miyagi?" she asked. While Murasakibara's school was nearby in Akita, she didn't understand why the rest of them had come all the way from Tokyo (Kyoto, in Akashi's case).

" _Hmph_ , Ji-ji invited all of us," Kise sulked, upset that he was ignored.

Her legs wound tightly around Akashi's waist so she wouldn't fall, Sayuri leaned over and pecked the cheek of the brooding boy in apology. "Sorry Ryouta, you know I love you," she cooed, affectionately punching his shoulder, "but I see you, Sacchan, Tetsuya, Daiki, and Shintarou all the time. So of course I'm going to be more excited when I see someone I can't easily meet in person."

"What about Murasakibaracchi?!" Kise whined. "Murasakibaracchi is farther from us than Akashicchi is, but you don't seem happy to see him!" Murasakibara just shrugged while Midorima shook his head, knowing the blonde was digging his own grave.

"Well, Sei's my favorite," Sayuri simply stated before turning to raise an eyebrow at her grandfather in curiosity. With her eyes focused elsewhere, Sayuri missed the cold stare Akashi sent towards the blonde; Kise shook in fear and inched away from the smaller boy, shrinking from his wrath.

Removing himself from the tangle of limbs, Yasufumi smirked at his granddaughter before turning to the rest of the gym. "First of all, let me introduce these rascals," he began, "These are Sayuri's friends from middle school; Kuroko Tetsuya, Momoi Satsuki, Aomine Daiki, Murasakibara Atsushi, and Midorima Shintarou," he said, pointing to each person as he introduced them.

Gently loosening Momoi's death grip on him, Kuroko dipped his head slightly. " _Yoroshiku_ ," he said.

" _Hajimemashite_ ," Momoi chirped, tucking a strand of her long pink hair behind her ear. Several of the boys turned bright red, already falling prey to the girl's womanly curves.

"Sup," Aomine bared his teeth threateningly, protectively wrapping an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders; the once flushed faces were now deathly pale.

" _Yosh_ ," Murasakibara yawned as he reached into his pocket for another Umaibo.

Midorima's taped fingers fiddled with his glasses. "Hello,  _nanodayo_ ," he said with a bored expression on his face.

"And I'm sure you all remember Kise Ryouta and Akashi Seijuro," Yasufumi continued, motioning to the other two. Kise winked while throwing up the victory sign; shifting his body to face the courts, Akashi nodded in greeting.

"Secondly, since I've gotten your attention I might as well tell you the news now," he added. "The other coaches and I have decided to reward you all for your hard work these past couple weeks. You've all improved immensely since the beginning of these training camps and you deserve to have some fun before summer ends. So tomorrow, we'll be having a barbeque at the beach!" he announced, the gym erupting with cheers at the news.

"Bar.."

"...be..."

"...cue?!" Tanaka, Nishinoya, and Hinata cried out enthusiastically. 

Delighted chatter filled the air, everyone buzzing with excitement. "Oi, captain," Kuroo smirked, slapping Daichi's back. "If we're going to the beach, guess that means we'll be seeing the lovely managers in bathing suits,  _ne_?"

Daichi shoved him, glaring at the lanky cat. "Shut it, Kuroo. There's no way we're letting you anywhere near Kiyoko or Yachi...or any of the other girls for that matter," he grunted, the seriousness of his statement betrayed by his bleeding nose. Kuroo cackled at the crow, who was wiping the blood from his bright red face. Next to them, the Karasuno idiots continued to energetically express their happiness.

"Meaty meat, meat, meaty meat!"

"Put ‘em together you get meat and meat!"

"Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Meat is god! Meat is god!"

"Alright, alright!" Coach Ukai shouted, clapping his hands together to silence the group. "I know you all are excited, but we need to first finish up tonight's matches. Shiratorizawa and Seijoh, please continue with your game; Fukurodani and Nekoma, you're up. Karasuno, start cooling down since you're done for the night," he instructed, the boys immediately doing as they were told.

While Karasuno moved to the side to begin stretching, the other Miyagi teams returned to their ongoing match. The Tokyo teams gathered themselves on their sides of the court in order to determine their starting line-up for the first set. Sayuri noticed that the setters from both teams kept glancing her way with worried looks; she assumed it was because she was surrounded by a bunch of towering giants. When their eyes met, she gave them each a small wave and a reassuring smile.

When both Fukurodani and Nekoma were in position, Coach Yamiji blew his whistle, signaling the beginning of the match.

Realizing that she was still in Akashi's arms, Sayuri squirmed with embarrassment. "Uhh, Sei? You can put me down now," she yelped, her cheeks burning. Ignoring her plea, the red-head carried her over to where her grandfather was sitting and took the seat next to him. Setting the girl in his lap so that she was facing forward, Akashi wrapped his arms around her waist in a snug embrace; next to them, Momoi plopped down onto the bench while the others sat on the floor.

"Sei...I'm much too heavy to be sitting in your lap," Sayuri sighed, attempting to remove herself from Akashi's grip, but failing miserably. The boy refused to release his hold on her.

"No, you're staying put," he replied, leaving no room for her to argue.

Sayuri exhaled deeply and closed her eyes; while Akashi considered her his equal, there were a few time where it was better not to challenge him, this being one of them. Giving in, she made herself comfortable, relaxing her weight against him. "I am absolute," he hummed as he nuzzled into her hair, the sound of his deep voice rumbling through his chest. Sayuri snorted at his proclamation and poked his side, rotating her head to stick her tongue at him. A genuine smile forming on his face, he pinched her nose.

"Yo, love birds," Aomine mockingly gagged, "stop flirting before I throw up." Sayuri and Akashi stared pointedly at him as Momoi slapped the back of his head. "Damn, Satsuki! That hurt!" he complained.

"You're one to talk, Aomine," Midorima scoffed, referring to the boy's own position — Aomine had placed himself in between his girlfriend's legs, Momoi's fingers absentmindedly playing with his dark blue hair.

"Hey, I just want everyone to know that Momoi's off limits!" Aomine countered, "And I'm sure Akashi feels the same way about Sayuri!"

The rest of the _Kiseki no Sedai_ internally groaned at his bluntness; though they constantly discussed their former captain's love life, they were always sure to avoid saying it to his face. As expected, Akashi reached around Momoi's legs, careful not to jostle the girl he was holding, to pull on Aomine's hair and bring him close. "Know your place, Daiki" Akashi growled in the dark bluenette's ear, softly enough that no one else could hear. "Be thankful that Sayu's here, otherwise I would not hesitate to show you your defeat," he threatened before releasing the boy and moving back to his seated position.

Sayuri looked at Akashi in question, but when he didn't explain what had just happened, she let it go and went back to watching her school play against their long time rivals.

* * *

Across the gym, Shiratorizawa was at match point.

After a solid receive from Yamagata, Shirabu tossed the ball to his captain and Ushijima took his approach. In the split second before his hand made contact with the ball, his eyes wandered over to where his childhood friend and her ex were sitting. The sight of them being so intimate with each other angered him and he miscalculated his spike's trajectory — the ball whizzed over everyone's heads, slamming against the balcony above his coach and ricocheting off at a frightening speed. Players on both sides froze, bewildered by the ace's egregious mistake. 

"WAKATOSHI! Aim for the court, dammit!" Coach Washijo screamed, waving his arms frantically while the ace landed softly on his feet. "Where are you looking?! If you're going to stare at someone, at least stare at a girl!!"

Olive eyes blinked. A few of his teammates were hunched over, attempting to muffle their laughter. "He _was_ staring at a girl," Tendou wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes as they all moved to resume the match.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Title is a play on the movie _Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back_
> 
> NOTE 2: Barbeque song is from _Haikyuu!!_ Season 2, episode 11 "Above".
> 
> NOTE 3: Washijo's outburst at Ushijima is from _Haikyuu!!_ Season 3, episode 3 "Guess Monster". Technically (in the episode), Washijo is yelling at Goshiki, but in this case it's funnier if he's yelling at Ushijima.


	29. Clash of the Crushes: Revenge of the Setters (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (CONTINUATION OF PREVIOUS CHAPTER)
> 
> While Akashi grudgingly acknowledges Ushijima because of his reputation, the red-head holds indifference towards the two setters from Tokyo. In retaliation, they battle it out on the court, determined to show their worth.
> 
> In other words: Akaashi and Kenma fight for the girl they love in the only way they know how — through volleyball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter begins at the start of the Fukurodani and Nekoma match.
> 
> This took longer to write than I thought. I had writer's block (again) for the first couple of days and then now, I have a friend who's visiting me so I don't have much time to write. But I finally finished! :D Hope you enjoy!

_BREEEET_

The shrill sound of Coach Yamiji's whistle pierced the air, signaling the beginning of the match.

It was Fukurodani's serve and Sarukui took his approach; executing a vicious jump serve, the ball soared over the net. With god-like reflexes, Yaku expertly received the ball and directed it to Kenma. With a clean and quick kill from him and Kuroo, Nekoma scored the first point of the match.

On the other side of the net, Akaashi's eyes narrowed at the other setter.  _The bare minimum amount of movement on his part...he's truly one of those setters that don't give away anything_ , he thought with a frown. Kenma's head swiveled around and they locked gazes; the cat threw a smirk over his shoulder at the owl before getting into position. 

_Oh, it's on_.

From the back line, Yamamoto served. With a solid serve receive from Komi, Akaashi tossed the ball to Bokuto. As if in slow motion, the ace launched himself into the air and swung his arm, clipping the ball against Kai's hand and sending it flying towards the sidelines. Leaping up from Akashi's lap, Sayuri swiftly ran towards the ball, catching it with a graceful jump.

"Nice kill, Bokuto- _san_!" Sayuri shouted, throwing the ball to Onaga, who was next to serve. Before she could make her way back to her friends, her grandfather caught her wrist.

"Ah, kitten? Could you help take notes on the game?" Yasufumi asked, handing her the clipboard he was holding. "Satsuki- _chan,_  you too; I could use your eyes," he added, much to the dismay of Aomine. Pecking her boyfriend on the cheek, Momoi got up from her seat and made her way over to the two Nekomatas. Linking her arm through her best friend's, the girls made their way to the other side of the court to get a better view. Yasufumi gave both the red-head and dark blunette an apologetic look.

_Good job, old man,_ Akaashi and Kenma thought as the match resumed. On the sidelines, their audience had grown; with Shiratorizawa eventually winning their game, all three Miyagi teams had joined the  _Kiseki no Sedai_  to watch the Tokyo teams play.

"Ryo- _chan_ ~," Oikawa sang as he flung himself at Kise, latching onto the blonde's back. "Did you watch our match? Wasn't I so cool?"

Kise reached behind him to wrap his arms around the chocolate-haired setter. "You were amazing Oikawacchi!" he praised. "It's a shame you didn't win," he added with a sad smile.

"It's all because of that stupid Ushiwaka. He pisses me off!" Oikawa whined. "He's so convinced that his team is the strongest," he grumbled, glaring at Ushijima, who was talking with Daichi and Iwaizumi.

"Well, winning is everything. The victors write history while the losers are wiped from it," Akashi stated calmly from his seat, not bothering to take his eyes off of Sayuri — the girl had briefly left Momoi to help Shimizu and Yachi hand water bottles and towels to the rest of the tired boys. "Shiratorizawa, with Ushijima at its forefront, is a noteworthy team that consistently wins. His confidence isn't baseless." 

Oikawa snarled, poised to pounce; a firm grip on his shoulder held him back. "Don't mind Akashicchi, he's always like that." Kise sighed, shaking his head.

As if sensing that his boyfriend was causing a disturbance, Iwaizumi's head whirled around. "Oi, Crappykawa," Seijoh's ace growled, walking over to smack the back of Oikawa's head. "Stop bothering people."

"Iwa- _chan_!"

"You deserved that," Iwaizumi scolded. Turning to Kuroko on the ground next to Kise, the ace held out a hand, which the other took. "I'm Iwaizumi Hajime, this shitty guy's boyfriend," the buff ace said, nodding at Oikawa. "Nice to meet you."

"Kuroko Tetsuya," the bluenette replied. He pointed at his lover, who was comforting a pouting Oikawa."I apologize on behalf of Kise- _kun_. Hopefully he hasn't caused you too much trouble — I know he can be a handful." Now it was the blonde's turn to sulk.

Iwaizumi chuckled. "Don't worry about it, I understand how you feel."

Meanwhile, the ongoing game was at a standstill — Fukurodani was currently in the lead, though only by a hair's breadth. The ball was passed back and forth between the two teams, neither side giving in. Eager to turn things around, Kuroo surged into the air and blocked a straight from Bokuto, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.

"One touch!" he roared as Yaku dove to receive it. The libero managed to deliver the ball to his setter, who then passed it to Fukunaga. The quiet wing-spiker smashed through Washio and Akaashi's block, only to be barely picked up by Sarukui.

"Bokuto- _san_!" Akaashi called out, sending the ball to his ace. Out of the corner of his eye, the Fukurodani setter noticed the pensive look on Kenma's face as he followed the ace's motions. As Bokuto leapt into the air, Akaashi internally groaned when the boy shifted into the spike's trajectory. Though unable to keep the ball in bounds, Akaashi could see the gears turning in the other's head.

Coach Yamiji's whistle trilled as the ball bounced across the gym, marking the end of the first set with Fukurodani's win. As the two teams cleared the court for a quick break, Kenma sidled up to Akaashi. The raven-haired boy raised his eyebrows.

"Bokuto is usually extremely fond of hitting crosses but today it seems like he's really in the zone blasting those straights too, huh?" Kenma mused, the keen look in his eyes out of place on his otherwise expressionless face.

Akaashi grimaced, though he was quick to replace it with a nonchalant smirk. "Who knows, eh?" he shrugged, "The coming and going of his quirky phases are as capricious as the person himself." He returned Kenma's gaze, the tension palpable between them. 

Akashi carefully observed the second-years as they stood close to each other, their faces tense. With a small smirk, Akashi slowly rose from his seat, coming to a halt just in front of the two. "Hello, I don't believe we've been properly introduced; I'm Akashi Seijuro, a close friend of Sayu's from middle school," he murmured, bowing slightly.

The two volleyball players warily stared at the red-head, unsure of his intentions. " _Hajimemashite_ ," the raven-haired setter replied, "My name is Akaashi Keiji. I'm a second-year at Fukurodani."

"I'm Kozume Kenma, but everyone calls me Kenma. I'm a second-year as well, but I go to Nekoma, where Sayuri's grandfather coaches," the pudding-head muttered.

"I see," Akaashi hummed, his expression neutral. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet both of you." Placing a hand on both of their shoulders he leaned in. "Say, Ushijima Wakatoshi is quite impressive, don't you think?" he pondered, just loud enough so that only the three of them could hear. When they remained silent, he continued. "I must admit, although grudgingly, that he has the skills to back up his reputation as a Japan's representative. He's a formidable opponent," he paused; though he couldn't see their faces, Akashi knew he had their attention. "...unlike others here." he finished.

Akaashi's hands clenched into fists. "What are you trying to say?" he hissed, through gritted teeth.

Both boys felt the hand on their shoulders grip tighter. "Even still...all your heads are held too high," Akashi whispered, his voice low. "I've never lost at anything before, and I never will. Because I always win, and I'm always right. I show no mercy to those who oppose me, not even my own parents," he warned, threatening them to challenge him.

"AKAAASHI!"

"Kenma! Hurry up!"

With a soft, but menacing chuckle, Akashi removed his hands and returned to his seat, ignoring the questioning look on Aomine's face. Refusing to look back, the two setters rejoined their teams.

When Kenma reached Kuroo's side, the captain nudged his friend with his elbow. "What was that all about?" he asked, jerking a thumb in the red-head's direction.

"Nothing," Kenma mumbled. Clearing his throat he looked at the rest of his team. "From here on out, let's deliberately go for the choke on Bokuto's straights," Kenma declared, "As for our serves and returns, let's try to aim as many of those as possible at Akaashi."

Kuroo gaped at the animated look on his best friend's face. "Damn Kenma" he cackled, slapping the setter on the back with a shit-eating grin, "Don't know what's got you so riled up, but you're pretty vicious today!" he cackled.

On Fukurodani's side of the court, Konoha glanced at his teammate next to him; though normally calm and composed, he could see the fire in the second-year's eyes. "Are you alright?" the dirty-blonde asked, receiving only a grunt in response. "What did that guy want?" he pressed, worried.

"Nothing," Akaashi mumbled, his head whipping around to face his captain. "Bokuto- _san_ , aren't you being a little too self-conscious of the receiver on the other side?" he questioned, raising his brow.

The third-year gulped, his shifty eyes looking everywhere but his setter. "It's like I can't do crosses anymore...they all end up turning into a straight!" he admitted. His sheepish grin was met with groans from his teammates. 

_Bokuto-san's weakness #37..._

_When he becomes totally fixated on one kind of thing, there are occasions where he totally forgets how to do anything else._

Akaashi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Bokuto- _san,_ don't think or worry about anything...just spike some crosses as long as it feels good. We'll be sure to clear a path for you," he instructed.

"Whoa Akaashi, you're the man!" Bokuto cheered, punching him in the arm.

Looking over their shoulders, the two setters once again met the other's eyes. Their mouths flattened and they nodded grimly in acknowledgement.

_Let the best man win_.

* * *

At the start of the second set, Nekoma has the ball, with Kai up first to serve. With Akaashi tossing a receive from Sarukui to Washio, the ball soared back over the net and rebounded off of Kai's waiting arms. Yamamoto soared into the air as Kenma sent the ball to him, slamming it past the two blockers in front of him. Due to the sharp angle, Fukurodani's libero, Komi, sent it to his setter, almost too quick for the boy to react.

"My bad, Akaashi!" he cried, watching as the second-year just barely connected with the ball. Despite the mishap, Washio carried out a kill, earning Fukurodani the point.

The game dragged on, both setters vying for win in an attempt to prove the red-head's claims wrong. In one particular rally, Kenma fires a dump, forcing Akaashi to dive to save it. In another, Akaashi spikes the ball, ricocheting it off Kenma's hand.

Before long, the game reaches its final moments, with Fukurodani just two points away from taking the set and winning the match.

" _Tch_ , it's Bokuto's turn to serve," Kenma grumbled; the ace's ferocious serves were all to familiar to him.

"Don't sweat it," Kuroo reassured him, his eyes flashing. "We're Nekoma. Us cats are constantly filling up any holes in our defense and readjusting as we go along. We are the body's blood — flow smoothly and circulate oxygen so the brain functions normally."

Kenma cringed, still embarrassed by the speech his captain always gave at the start of each game. Though he hated to admit it, there were times like this where it was actually motivational. Nodding, he glanced at his team behind him. "Let's stick to the plan," he said.

" _OSSU_!"

More determined than ever, Nekoma braced themselves for Bokuto's serve. Lobbing the ball into the air, the ace took his approach and launched himself up; he swung his arm and his hand made contact with the ball, slamming it over the net. The sound of the ball bouncing against Kai's arms when he received the serve reverberated throughout the gym. Moving as little as possible, Kenma set to Fukunaga, his spike aimed directly at Akaashi.

"Someone cover!" Akaashi huffed in irritation as he received the ball, glaring at the pudding-head. "Sarukui!" he bellowed.

From behind, the third-year wing spiker rushed up to help. "Got it!" he called, his eyes and body following the ball.  _Bokuto is beginning to feel the weight of the pressure too. At this point, we need to lighten as much of that load as we can_ , he mulled, ignoring his captain's cries for a toss. Just then a voice from his right broke through his thoughts.

"Hey, hey!!! On your right, hey!" Konoha shouted, waving at his friend. Sarukui grunted, sending the ball to the dirty-blonde. To regain their bearings, he aimed at Kuroo's hand, purposefully rebounding the ball. "Chance ball!" Konoha exclaimed, smirking at his opponents.

Before Kuroo could react, Akaashi and Sarukui pulled a quick attack past Kenma and Fukunaga, who had tried to cover for his distracted captain. While Yaku was able to pick up the cross spike with a flying receive, the ball crashed into the net; luckily Kuroo reflexes managed to save it, passing it to Kenma behind him.

"Kenma, hit it to your right!"

The setter glanced in that direction and saw his target — he tossed the ball to his rival.

"Konoha- _san_!" Akaashi barked, thankful that his  _senpai_ was a jack-of-all-trades.

Taking the place of the setter, Konoha tossed the ball to is teammate.

"Saru!"

The tousled brunette slammed the ball over the net as Kenma and Kuroo scrambled to block, earning Fukurodani another point. "Nice, Saru!" Konoha cheered, fist-bumping his friend.

"They can hit and hit, but we'll catch it every time," Kuroo reminded, trying to lift his team's spirits, "Bokuto's downfall is that his attention isn't fixated on us, but on where he plans to spike. Remember, if you focus too hard on what's on the ground, you'll hit a wall!"

With the match point on the line, another one of Bokuto's wicked serves zips through the air and recoils off of Yaku's forearms. A spike from Yamamoto blasts through the vanguard to Komi.

Sprinting towards the net, Bokuto launched himself up as Akaashi set the ball to him and smacked it with all his strength — only to be blocked by Kuroo and Kai.

"GAH!" he moaned, pulling at his hair in frustration. His golden owl eyes sloping down like a sad, rejected puppy.

Attempting to maintain some composure, Akaashi bit the inside of his cheek. "Stay calm," he advised, his voice clipped. Taking stock of Nekoma's new rotation, Akaashi gathered his teammates close. "Kozume will definitely aim for the front-left side of Bokuto- _san_ ," he whispered to Konoha, who was in position to receive Kenma's serve. "Also, could you please pass the ball such that it's a bit closer to the net?" he asked, eliciting a short nod from the boy. 

At the whistle, Kenma served, the ball falling exactly where Akaashi predicted. As per the setter's instructions, Konoha bumped the ball closer to the net.

_Haiba is inexperienced but he makes up for it with his intuition and height...it's formidable to be pit directly against him. However, when you compare him to Kuroo, he's very gullible._

Performing an off tempo attack, Akaashi feinted a spike to trick to giant middle blocker, and instead nimbly twisted his body to set to his ace.

_In the next rotation, Haiba will fall to the back line while the Pain-in-the-ass Kuroo-san will return to the front-line. If it's Bokuto we're talking about, he can empty his head. If we are going to dupe the blockers, the current rotation is the optimum time for it,_ Akaashi mused, his mind racing.

"BOKUTO- _SAN_!"

Akaashi watched as Bokuto flew into the air, his back arching as he swung his arm. His hand slammed into the ball and it rocketed past Onaga, successfully executing a cross spike that ricocheted off Yaku's arms and out of bounds, ending the game with Fukurodani's win.

"HEY HEY HEY!" Bokuto cried, excitedly locking his setter in a tight embrace and lifting him off the ground. "YOU WERE AWESOME, AKAAAAASHI!"

"Bokuto- _san_ , please put me down," Akaashi gasped, suffocating from the buff boy's grip. Releasing him, the peppered-haired owl ran off to congratulate his other teammates.

"Good game," Kenma muttered, holding his hand out when he stopped in front of the raven-haired setter. His mouth was set into a straight line, as though reluctant to admit his loss.

Akaashi took his hand and gripped it firmly, giving it a couple shakes up and down. "Thanks, though I probably wouldn't have tried as hard if it weren't for that red-headed bastard over there," he confessed, motioning to where Akashi sat with his a jerk of his head. Kenma nodded in agreement.

As the two were exchanging pleasantries, Sayuri ran up and flung herself at them, enveloping them into a hug. "You two were amazing!" she gushed, her gray eyes twinkling. Quickly glancing at each, the two rivals silently made a temporary truce and each wrapped an arm around her waist. 

Looking behind her, Akaashi and Kenma both locked eyes with a quietly seething Akashi. Noticing his slightly narrowed eyes and clenched fists, the two setters smirked at the red-head. Without breaking eye contact, Kenma rested his chin on her shoulder while Akaashi's chin was nestled into her hair; the position they were in allowed them to pull the girl in tighter, but Sayuri didn't seem to protest.

"Oi, Akashicchi! Where are you going with that chair?! Put it down!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Title is a play on the movie _Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith_
> 
> NOTE 2: This chapter are based off of Chapters 191-195 of the _Haikyuu!!_ manga. It contains some dialogue that can be found in the manga.


	30. What a Girl Wants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls gossip about boys and who they think Sayuri should end up with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't written AT ALL the past couple days since my friend was visiting me >.< However, this chapter was really fun to write so I hope you enjoy it!!!
> 
> As always, thank you for reading my story!  
> (Shameless plug: Comments and kudos are always welcomed!)

"I can't get over how impressive Shiratorizawa's facilities are," Sayuri marveled, shaking her head as the girls entered the gym locker room. Renowned for both their academics and sports, the school garnered a generous amount of monetary support from its students and the community, enabling them to construct a full-sized bath.

The last night of the training camps had finally come to an end, giving everyone a chance to rest after an eventful day. Sayuri and the others stripped out of their clothes and placed them into the provided cubicles, before grabbing their toiletries and heading into the bathing area. Inside, they scrubbed themselves clean, making sure to rinse thoroughly to wash away any remaining suds; once done, they wrapped a towel around their bodies and made their way over to the large tub. Sayuri slipped into the steaming bath, a sigh escaping her lips as she submerged her body beneath the surface until only her face remained.  _Finally_ , she thought as her eyes drifted close, the warmth of the water relaxing her tight muscles.  _This is so soothi—_

"Alright," Shirofuku grinned with a glint in her reddish-brown eyes, leaving little time to react before she splashed into the water, mini tidal waves crashing into Sayuri's face. "Let's have a little chat between us girls!" 

_So much for a peaceful bath._

"Yukie- _senpai_ ," she sputtered, scowling at the older girl. "Can't we just sit in silence and enjoy the bath?"

"Sayucchin, don't be boring!" Momoi teased, ignoring the dirty look she received.

Exhaling deeply, Sayuri wrinkled her nose in annoyance. "What is so important that you need to disrupt this rare moment of tranquility?" she spat.

"Boys, obviously!" Momoi and Shirofuku both declared, as if it was obvious.

"Are you serious?!" Sayuri cried, staring at them in disbelief.

Momoi grinned, sidling up to her best friend to wrap her arms around the girl. "Oh come on, Sayucchin!" she sulked, pulling Sayuri's face into her chest. "It's been so long since we last talked about this kind of stuff — it'll be fun!"

The black-haired girl sighed in defeat. "Fine, fine," she grudgingly conceded, her voice muffled by the pinkette's bust. "We can gossip about boys. Now could you please let go of me? I can't talk if you're going to suffocate me with your breasts." Momoi released the girl with a sheepish smile, apologizing as her friend gasped for air.

"Hmmm..." Shirofuku hummed, directing everyone's attention to the girl across from her. "Let's start with you, Kao- _chan_!"

"Me?" she stammered, surprised. A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she pondered the question. "Uhh...well I'm not crushing on anyone specific at the moment," Suzumeda answered, "but if I had to say, Konoha- _senpai_ is probably the closest to my ideal guy."

"So someone pretty average all across the board, huh?" Shirofuku playfully mocked. The third-year wing spiker was above decent in all positions, easily able to switch between attacker, setter, and receiver depending on the situation. His neat, medium length dirty-blond hair and narrow eyes, along with his charming personality, made him quite popular amongst the girls, but his appearance wasn't as memorable as Bokuto's white-and-black hair nor Akaashi's almost  _too_ pretty features.

Suzumeda glowered at the third-year, crossing her arms over her chest as she sank further into the water to hide her growing blush. "Maybe I just happen to like average guys ok?" she grumbled.

"He is pretty handsome if you think about it, though," the reddish-brunette mused. "But definitely not my style."

Sayuri and Suzumeda both perked up at the girl's admission. With twin cheshire grins, the two Fukurodani first-years waded over and crowded around their _senpai_. "So who  _is_ your style?" Sayuri sang, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"I prefer buff guys," Shirofuku answered. "Because who doesn't love muscles?" she winked, casually.

"Preach, girl, preach!" Momoi cheered in agreement.

However, Sayuri wasn't satisfied with the girl's answer. "Any buff boy in particular?" she pressed, moving closer. The usual critter-like smile on Shirofuku's face flattened into a straight line as she shrank away from the piercing stares of her _kouhai_ , only fueling the fire of her schoolmates. "Come on, Yukie- _senpai_ ," Sayuri whined, nudging the older girl. "I've seen how you get around these hunks! One of them must have caught your eye!"

"Hey," Shirofuku grunted, turning her head to avoid the others' eyes. "I may be boy-crazy, but it's only out of appreciation — I don't actually have any deeper feelings for them." The girl paused, gauging the neutral expressions of her friends before continuing. "Truthfully, I've been crushing on Koutarou for the past year," she mumbled, her volume just above a whisper.

If the room wasn't quiet before, it was dead silent now. Seeing the stunned faces looking back at her, she waved her hands around in embarrassment. "Hear me out!" Shirofuku cried. "Koutarou and I are pretty close. He's tastefully muscular, we both love to eat, and I like a guy that can make me laugh."

Shimizu placed a hand on the flustered girl's shoulder. "We're not making fun of you, Yukie- _san_ ," she assured her fellow third-year.

"We're just surprised," Sayuri explained. "Bokuto- _san_ is an...interesting character."

"Ok, ok, I know he acts like a child most of the time," she disclosed, the other Fukurodani girls roaring with laughter at the understatement. "But if you look at Koutarou's stupidity from a slightly different angle it's actually kind of genius."

Suzumeda brought her hand up to her chin, the look on her face pensive. "I think I understand what you mean...," she murmured. Sayuri's eyes widened, but she made no comment, instead choosing to snicker into the back of her hand.

"Can we please move on to someone else?" Shirofuku groaned, splashing water at her underclassmen.

Sayuri lifted her head to look at the bespectacled beauty beside her. "Kiyoko- _senpai_ , you're close with the other Karasuno third-years, right? Are you interested in any of them?"

"Well," Shimizu began, clearing her throat softly. "I'm asexual; while I think they're all wonderful friends, I'm not attracted to them, nor to any other person for that matter. Anyway, Sawamura seems to have his eye on the captain of our girl's volleyball team, Sugawara is dating a second-year from Niiyama, and Azumane has a girlfriend who's two years older than us and is currently studying abroad."

"I guess that explains why you turned down Oikawa," Shirofuku mused. "Koutarou said that, before getting together with Iwaizumi, Oikawa had asked you for your number and you flat out refused."

A small frown formed on Shimizu's face. "I didn't exactly turn him down, I just  _ignored_ him — I'm quite shy and I have a hard time with flashy people."

"Flashy, he is!" Shirofuku cackled before turning to the other Karasuno manager. "And, Hitoka- _chan_?" she purred. "A little crow told me all about you and that freckled cutie!"

The petite blonde coughed violently, accidentally inhaling water when all eyes fell on her. Shimizu gently patted the younger girl's back until she regained her composure. "Huh? You mean Yamaguchi- _kun_?" she wheezed, in between coughs.

"I totally ship it!" Suzumeda squealed.

"No, no," Yachi denied, fervently shaking her head. "We're not like that at all! Yamaguchi- _kun_ and I are just good friends." 

"Hitoka- _chan_ , I've seen the way Yamaguchi looks at you," Shimizu chimed in, only making her  _kouhai_  more flustered. "He's always blushing when you're around him."

"Sure, he's taller than I thought. And I think his freckles and the way his hair sticks up is kind of cute. He's also really easy to talk to and we can relate to each other since we both suffer from anxiety..." Her voice trailed off as she realized the hole she was digging herself into. "I really like him," she admitted in a small voice, her hands covering her bright red face.

The other girls immediately felt guilty for pushing the blonde's boundaries. "Sorry, Hitoka!" Sayuri apologized, her brows drawn together with worry. "We won't press further."

"Don't worry, Yachi- _san_! Whatever we say here won't leave this room," Suzumeda promised as the two third-years hummed in agreement.

"Why don't I go next?" Momoi offered. "You can ask me anything, Yacchin!"

Yachi nodded, giving a shaky smile to reassure the others that she wasn't upset. "So, how long have you and Aomine- _san_ been together, Momoi- _san_?" she asked, turning to the pink-haired girl.

"Dai- _chan_ and I have been dating for about half a year, but I've known him almost all my life," she replied, her eyes filled with love. "We were very close as children and often played basketball together."

"Aww, you two were childhood lovers!" Suzumeda gushed.

Momoi laughed softly. "Not really. Up until last year, I only saw him as an annoying brother."

"That's right," Sayuri chimed in, "All throughout junior high you were head over heels for Tetsuya."

The other girls' jaws dropped in shock. "That small fry?!" Shirofuku blurted. "But he's gay!"

"Hey, he's not that small!" Momoi objected. "I met Tetsu- _kun_ outside of a _konbini_ as he and the rest of the basketball team were eating ice cream. He approached me and gave me his ice cream stick. At first, I thought he just dumped his trash on me, but when I turned the stick over, I saw that it was actually worth one free ice cream! I instantly fell in love," she sighed, dreamily. "And just because's he gay, doesn't mean I can't fall in love with him!" she huffed.

Everyone but Sayuri, who had heard the story before, was dumbfounded. "True, and I apologize for implying that you couldn't," Shirofuku finally said. "But it still doesn't explain how you and Aomine got together."

"Right," the pink-haired girl giggled. "Well, I've aways stuck close to Dai- _chan_ and watched over him to make sure he didn't cause trouble. He has a tendency to go overboard," she explained, her light tone turning serious. "However, because I was afraid that people would spread rumors about us, since it would provoke him even more, I started calling him Aomine- _kun_ once we entered junior high. Unfortunately, it just made him mad," she grimaced, Sayuri rubbing her back sympathetically. "At some point, I even stopped talking to him outside of basketball practice and when I did talk to him, it was only to mope about Ki- _chan_ and Tetsu- _kun_ getting together  _—_ sure, I was over the moon for them, but I was still heartbroken. I guess it all just pushed him over the edge."

Momoi took a deep breath before continuing. "One day, around the end of our second year at Teiko, I told the coach to bench him for injuries; it wasn't severe and the season had finished by then, so I thought that Dai- _chan_ would agree to it. But boy, was I wrong," she barked, no humor in her voice. "He lost it and told me that he didn't want to see me or my ugly face ever again."

"That's horrible!" Yachi gasped, her lip trembling.

"It was. I bursted into tears on the spot and threw my clipboard at his face," she admitted. "I even called his face grotesque as I ran away from him."

"He deserved it!" Suzumeda grumbled.

Affectionately ruffling the two girls' hair, Momoi chuckled. "Thanks, but it was partly my fault for not considering his feelings. Apparently he's liked me ever since elementary school, and while I had an inkling, I chose to ignore it because I didn't want to ruin our friendship."

Shimizu frowned. "That doesn't excuse his behavior, though."

"You're right, which is why he came to my house a few days later to apologize and profess his love for me — it was quite grandiose, if I do say so myself. I didn't immediately accept his confession, however, since I was still hesitant to the idea of taking our relationship to a romantic level, but I at least forgave him for his outburst. From then on, we walked home together like before and spent our days off with each other, though the rest of our group was usually there as well," side-eyeing her best friend.

"Sorry to cock-block you two!" Sayuri quipped, sarcastically. "It's not like you guys practically lived at each others' houses or anything."

"Anyway," Momoi continued with a grin, "it was a slow burn all throughout our last year in junior high. Despite all that, he was patient with me and never pressured me to return his feelings. It wasn't until nationals that year when I finally realized that I had fallen in love with him...and the rest is history," she finished.

Shirofuku applauded dramatically, her eyes watery — whether from the steam or from the story was unclear. "Beautiful," she sobbed.

"What I don't understand is how you all were in the dark about each other's feelings," Shimizu pondered, her voice free of judgement as she glanced between Sayuri and Momoi.

The two girls looked at each other before bursting in giggles. "Well, the rest of us could tell Daiki was madly in love with Sacchan, but since she only had eyes for Tetsuya, we didn't say anything. It was a mess when Sacchan and Daiki were fighting because we didn't know what to do," Sayuri clarified. "Ryouta and Tetsuya were a whole other story; Ryouta didn't realize he was gay until Tetsuya confessed, and none of us knew Tetsuya was gay because he's a very private persona and never talks about his feelings. However, once they did come out, we obviously supported them all the way."

"Don't forget about you and Akashi- _kun_ , Sayucchin," Momoi added, earning a playful slap from her best friend. "We were all so preoccupied with your perfect relationship that we couldn't really focus on our own disasters of a love life."

"You and Akashi- _san_ used to date?" Yachi gasped, her brown eyes wide.

"Mmhmm. We were together all throughout junior high, but we broke up right before graduation."

"Why?!" Suzumeda asked. "You both still seem really close! If you hadn't told me directly that you were single, I would have thought you two were still dating."

"Sei and I are still close, and that's not going to change whether we're in a romantic relationship or not," Sayuri pointed out before staring down at her fidgeting fingers. "But to answer your question, I broke up with him because he was going to Kyoto for high school — specifically to play basketball for a powerhouse team. I didn't want to get in the way of what he loves." Suddenly, she lifted her head to look at the others with flushed cheeks. "Don't get me wrong, though; I was more than willing to make things work! I just didn't want him to  _feel_ like he had to choose between me or basketball, even though I'd _never_ ask him to give it up for me."

"So you didn't break up due to lost love," Shirofuku said. "Akashi is the perfect package: he's rich, smart, athletic, and so damn fine. Plus, he obviously still loves you. I'd definitely snatch him back up and never let him go again, if I were you."

"What are you talking about, Yukie- _senpai_?" Sayuri stuttered, "Sei and I broke up almost half a year ago."

"That doesn't mean he no longer has feelings for you!"

Before Sayuri could retort, Suzumeda spoke up. "I think Akaashi- _senpai_ would be better suited for Sayu- _chan_. When he's not with Bokuto- _senpai_ , then he's with her during school and I know he'd take good care of her. He's also one of the prettiest people I have _ever_ seen."

"Kaori?!"

"I'm rooting for that Ushijima guy!" Momoi exclaimed. "My eyes tell me he has a great physique and Ki- _chan_ mentioned that you two grew up together. Wouldn't it be so amazing if you fell in love with your childhood friend, like Dai- _chan_ and I? We'd be like twin best friends!" she gushed.

"Sacchan, please!"

"I think Kozume- _senpai_ is really nice," Yachi squeaked, "he's not as scary as the others and he's really smart."

"Not you too, Hitoka," Sayuri groaned in defeat, hanging her head in her hands. "Come on, we should be heading back soon. We've spent almost an hour in here," she grumbled, changing the subject.

"Shimizu, what do you think?" Shirofuku asked curiously as they all got up to leave the bath.

"I'm staying out of this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Title from Christina Aguilera's song "What a Girl Wants"
> 
> NOTE 2: I fudged Momoi and Aomine's history a bit because remember, this is an AU where the GOM didn't fall apart during their time at Teiko!
> 
> NOTE 3: I know most people might not agree with my pairings, but please be kind! 
> 
> I truly think that Shirofuku and Bokuto would make the cutest couple ever. Besides Akaashi, I feel that she knows him the best. Also, even though I love the relationship between Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, it seems like it's just friendship and nothing more (gah, I can almost hear the arguments). Yamayachi is so adorable, and plus it seems pretty canon that they (maybe) like each other.
> 
> NOTE 4: When Shirofuku mentions why she likes Bokuto, part of it is from Konoha's current concern.


	31. The Volleyball Idiots Meet The Basketball Dorks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where we find out what happens when you leave the _Haikyuu!!_ boys alone with the _Kiseki no Sedai_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's this week's update! Hope you all like it :)
> 
> As always, I so thankful for all of your support. Any comments and criticism is welcome — I want to make sure this story is as enjoyable as possible :D

"Why can't I sleep next to Iwa- _chan_?!" Oikawa complained as he glared at his teammate, who had taken the spot next to the buff ace.

"You know the rule, Captain," Matsukawa drawled, flopping onto the futon he had just laid out.

On the other side of Iwaizumi, Hanamaki mimicked his friend. "In order to preserve sweet little Kindaichi's innocence, Mattsun and I must cock-block you two lovebirds," he smirked, lounging on his stomach.

Oikawa's mouth jutted out into a pout. "It's not like I'm going to pounce Iwa- _chan_  in the middle of the night — I would never do that!" the setter argued, though the bright red blush on his boyfriend's face said otherwise. Hanamaki and Matsukawa cackled at the blatant lie.

"Yeah right; the moment we take our eyes off you, you'd probably crawl into his futon and suck his dick," the messy-haired middle blocker scoffed, earning a pillow to the face from a flustered Iwaizumi.

"How dare you soil the team's golden child with such dirty language," Yahaba gasped while slapping his hands over Kindaichi's ears, a confused smile on the boy's face.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Oikawa sighed. "Fine," he spat, "I'll just sleep next to Ryo- _chan_ so that I'll at least be right across of Iwa- _chan_." Grumbling under his breath, he turned to the blonde.

"Sorry, Oikawacchi," Kise apologized, sheepishly running a hand through his hair. "Looks like Kunimi and Watari- _senpai_  are already fast asleep." A pure sight to behold, the two Seijoh players were fast asleep on either side of him, their breaths deep and even.

"Not fair!" the pretty-boy whined, stomping his foot before tossing his bedding onto the ground next to the first-year wing-spiker. Upset that things weren't going his way, Oikawa threw himself underneath his covers and turned his back to his teammates.

The meme dream team chuckled at their captain's pettiness. "You're dating a child," Hanamaki teased, quickly rolling away to avoid a slap from Iwaizumi.

\-----

Returning from his bath, Ushijima blinked in confusion at the sight before him — he was immediately greeted by a large tanuki statue the size of a toddler with Semi, Goshiki, and Yamagata cautiously crowding around the effigy. Curious glances passed between them as Tendou attempted to muffle his amusement.

"Oh, man! What the heck is that?!" Tendou sputtered, pointing at the strange object while clutching his side.

Midorima fiddled with his glasses, pushing it up the bridge of his nose. "Oha Asa said that today's lucky item for Cancers was a canine figurine. I just happened to have this at my house,  _nanodayo_ ," he explained, not bothering to look up as he continued to tape his fingers.

The serious tone in his voice made everyone pause, their eyes wide as they stared at him in shock. "You  _happened_ to have this?" Tendou wheezed, roaring with laughter, "You're so funny, Shintarou!" The green-haired boy ignored the middle-blocker, used to loud and obnoxious people; he had gotten accustomed to rambunctious groups after three years with Kise and Aomine, along with almost half a year with his current  _senpais_.

"Tendou...It's impolite to tease others," Ohira warned, nudging his teammate. Next to him, Soekawa threw an apologetic, and somewhat pitiful, look towards the  _megane_   _ikemen._

Shirabu snorted. "That's pretty rich, coming from someone like you," he sneered, drying his damp hair with a towel. "We all know you have some strange-ass habits! I mean, anyone with that kind of hair must be a freak."

"You wanna take this outside, Kenjirou?! I'll show you and your stupid bangs who's the freak!"

"Bring it, you Guess Monster!"

"Guys, you all need to shut up," Semi groaned, rubbing his temples in irritation as Ohira and Kawanishi restrained the two quarreling boys. "You both have butt-ugly haircuts. Even my gorgeous locks can't make up for our team's hairtrosities."

"You may have great hair, but your sense of style is shit!"

"Oi!"

Amongst the arguing, Ushijima took a seat next to Midorima. "I apologize on behalf of my teammates. I hope they did not offend you in any way, as that was not their intention," he said, watching Shirabu accidentally elbow Goshiki in the face as he attempted to take a swing at Tendou.

Midorima placed the roll of tape he was holding back into his pocket and turned to the ace. "It's not a big deal,  _nanodayo_. This is nothing compared to when Kise gets excited. I'm amazed that Nekomata is able to handle him." Throwing a quick glance at the others, he continued. "Though it seems that she's still surrounded by the troublesome type," he mused. "No wonder Akashi considers her his equal — she's the only one besides himself that can manage even the most problematic of people."

His lips turning down into a frown, Ushijima made no comment and the two drifted into silence. Midorima cocked his head in thought as he slowly stood up, extending a hand. "Do you know the saying  _Man proposes; God disposes_?" he stated vaguely.

The older boy stared blankly before shaking his head. "No, I don't believe I do," Ushijima replied, grasping the other's hand.

"First, you do your best and then fate will decide how it will turn out." Pulling the wing-spiker to his feet, Midorima tightened his grip and leaned in close. "Just know this; I don't care what her decision is in the end, as it's none of my business, but...Nekomata is one of the few people I respect. All you need to do is treat her right and leave the rest up to her. If any of you force her into a decision, you'll have to answer to us, got it?"

Olive eyes met light-green ones, serious and unwavering as Ushijima answered.

"Of course."

\-----

As Nekoma prepared for bed, Lev plopped down in front of their purple-haired guest. "How tall are you Murasakibara?" he asked, his lanky body bouncing in anticipation. Beside him, Inuoka and Shibayama's eyes were filled with curiosity.

"Last time I checked, I was 208 cm," Murasakibara stated as he rummaged through the contents of his bag. Finding what he was looking for, he pulled out a bag of chips.

"What the hell are these people eating to get so big?" Yaku grumbled, glaring at the two giants across the room.

"Yakkun, they just secrete more somatotropin than you do," Kuroo offhandedly commented. "But considering that you eat so much red meat, it's a wonder why all those conjugated linoleic acids haven't helped one bit."

"You astaxanthin!"

"That's docosahexaenoic acid to you!"

Nobuyuki sighed. "Now, now," he chided, giving his friends a strained smile. "Let's calm down, shall we?" The other two mumbled incoherently under their breath, but otherwise followed the vice-captain's instructions as the first-years continued chatting.

" _Sugoi,_  that's over 200 cm!" Lev gasped, his green eyes wide. "I'm the tallest out of everyone here, but you're more than 10 cm taller than I am!"

Shibayama's gaped open, unable to contain his awe. "Is the rest of your family as tall as you are?" he asked, leaning forward.

Murasakibara shoved a handful of chips into his mouth before answering. " _Nee_ - _san_  is 180 cm, while my three older brothers are all over 190 cm," he replied in between bites. Crumbs dotted his chin as he continued snacking.

"Wow," Inuoka marveled. Cocking his head, he eyed the gray-haired behemoth. "Lev, your sister's pretty tall as well, right?"

Just then, Yaku and Kuroo came up behind them. "Lev's older sister is not just pretty, she's  _stunning_. She puts the eye in eye candy!" the libero chimed in, mishearing Inuoka's question. 

"I know right?!!" Lev exclaimed, proudly puffing out his chest. Pausing in thought, his smile quickly morphed into a frown. "Ah, but Alisa's 178.5 cm — she's too tall for you, Yaku- _san_."

"Lev, you better shut your mouth before I shut it for you," Yaku snarled, smacking his  _kouhai_  in the head.

Shaking his head at the first-year's tactlessness, Kenma joined his best friend and their guest. The two cats turned to Murasakibara, who had finished his chips and was now sprawled out on his futon, his eyes drooping drowsily. "So you guys knew Sayuri since middle school?" Kenma asked, not looking up from his game.

"Were you guys this monstrous back then as well?" Kuroo butted in.

"I guess? I was about 186 cm when I was at Teiko," the purple-haired boy shrugged, unfazed by the captain's rudeness.

Kenma sighed. "Kuro, the only monster here is you and your stupid bed-head," he scolded, kicking the boy.

"Holy shit, that's pretty much my current height — and I'm a high school senior!" Kuroo whistled, rubbing his sore leg. "Neko- _chan_ 's lucky to have so many big and strong boys to protect her."

"Mmmm." One purple eye cracked open, sending one last piercing glance at the two boys beside him before closing again. "Neko- _chin_ is an important friend to all of us. We wouldn't hesitate to help her if someone tried to mess with her," Murasakibara hummed as he rolled over and drifted off to sleep.

\-----

" _Makemashita_ ," Tsukishima muttered, bowing his head.

Next to him, Yamaguchi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't mind, Tsukki!!" he squeaked.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi."

Across from them, Akashi smiled fondly at the _shogi_ board between them before directing his attention to the blonde. "Good game, Kei." Deftly gathering the _koma_  and returning them to their starting positions, he motioned to the board. "Care for another?"

Clicking his tongue in annoyane, Tsukishima shook his head. "While it's been fun, I'll have to decline; I'd rather not lose for the fifth time tonight."

The red-head chuckled. "Don't feel too discouraged. You played admirably for someone who had just learned the General's Game," he remarked, beginning a game against himself.

"Jene-raru geh-mu?" Hinata asked, his brows furrowing in confusion as he rested his chin on the table; beside him, Kageyama wore a similar expression. "I thought you were playing _shogi_?"

" _Pfft_ ," Tsukishima snickered, sneering at his orange-headed teammate. "Sorry, Akashi. Our freak duo is nothing but a pair of simpleton idiots."

"Huh?!

Reaching out, Akashi ruffled Hinata's hair and patted Kageyama's head. "I think it's commendable that you two are so passionate about the sport," he praised before turning back to his game. "To answer your question, Shouyou,  _shogi_ consists of the characters  _sho_ _u_ from  _shogun_ , and  _gi_. In English,  _shogun_ means general and  _gi_ means strategic board game. Therefore, it's been nicknamed as the General's Game." Picking up one of the  _koma_ , he held it up for the orange-haired boy to see. 

"I think I understand...," Hinata nodded, his face scrunching in concentration. "Actually, no I don't get it at all," he groaned. Kageyama remained silent, his eyes focused on the game.

"Umm, Akashi- _san_?" Yamaguchi said as he watched the red-head continue playing, "You've kn—"

At the sound of the door sliding open, Akashi lifted his head to greet Karasuno's third-years. "Sawamura- _san_ , Sugawara- _san_ , and Azumane- _san_. Thank you for your hospitality and for allowing me to stay with you. I apologize that my friends and I came unannounced."

"No, no, it's not a big deal at all," Daichi replied, waving his hands in front of him. "We should be the ones apologizing — we're quite the rambunctious group. Hopefully you don't mind!" he added, bashfully.

Akashi slowly stood up and smiled at the captain. "I don't mind at all. It'll be a nice change of pace to be in such a lively environment," he said, shaking the older boy's hand. "Ah," he called out over his shoulder, swiveling his head to look at Yamaguchi. "Tadashi, you were in the middle of saying something, weren't you?"

"Oh, yes! I was wondering how long you've known Nekomata- _san_ ; since middle school right?"

"Yes, we were in the same classes all three years," Akashi replied. "She transferred to Teiko a few months into our first year and we were actually desk mates for a while. When she didn't have cheer practice, Sayu would also help Satsuki with her managerial duties for our basketball team."

Scratching his chin, Daichi frowned, trying to grasp the thought that was floating in the back of his mind. "That's right!" he exclaimed as he remembered, slamming a fist into his palm. "You two used to date in middle school!"

"WAH, you and Sayuri- _san_ used to date?!?" Hinata exclaimed, jumping up from his seated position and leaning close to the red-head.

Sugawara whipped out a hand and grabbed his bouncing  _kouhai_. "No wonder it seems that you two are closer to each other than with the rest of your friends; you're all still a tight-knit group though," he mused, as Azumane lifted Hinata under the boy's arms to calm him down.

"Mmhmm," Akashi hummed, staring off into the distance as his lips formed a tender smile. "We were, and still are, very close. Satsuki is her best friend when it comes down to it, but I like to think I come in at a close second," he chuckled.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you two break up?" Yamaguchi urged, carefully.

Though his face remained cheerful, Akashi's red eyes had a sad glint to them that made the freckled pinch-server flinch with guilt. "We broke up because I planned to go to Kyoto for basketball. Sayu didn't want me to feel obligated to make time for her, so she decided to end our relationship in order for me to devote all my time and focus on the sport."

"I see. Thank you for sharing such personal information."

Akashi tipped his head before turning to Karasuno's captain. "By the way, where did you hear about our relationship?" he inquired, "Sayu doesn't usually talk about her private matters so I'm surprised you knew about us."

Daichi gave the red-head a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Kuroo told me."

"Kuroo- _san_...he's the captain of Nekoma's team, right? The one that Ji-ji coaches?" Akashi asked, tapping his chin with his slender fingers. "He has quite the...interesting hairstyle."

Daichi nodded. "Yeah, that's him," he affirmed, "He and Kenma went to the café she works at and ran into her and your other friends."

The younger boy's fingers paused. "Ah...Did he happen to say anything else?" he pressed, his words clipped.

"No he — oh wait! He did show us a picture of her in her uniform," Daichi answered, oblivious to the anger hidden beneath the other's calm facade. Unbeknownst to him, the third-year was hammering in the nails of a certain basketball player's coffin.

"...I see."

Down the hall, Kise felt a chill.

\-----

"Large breasts are the best, right?" Aomine smirked, holding the magazine up to Bokuto's face; a busty Japanese idol in a bathing suit was displayed on its pages. With one hand holding a tissue up to his bleeding nose, the Fukurodani captain gave him a thumbs up in agreement. Next to them, two boys had pained looks on their faces.

"Sorry, Aomine- _kun_  can be quite crude," Kuroko murmured apologetically.

"Don't worry; Bokuto- _san_  isn't much different," Akaashi assured the bluenette, waving his hand. "He has absolutely no filter. Plus, I believe he has the mind of a child sometimes." They stared at each other as a smile broke out on both of their faces.

_Ah, someone normal_ , they thought, sighing at the same time.

For a few moments, they sat without speaking, watching as Konoha, Komi, and Sarukui joined the two aces, who were currently debating on which of the models they liked best. Akaashi's eyes narrowed as his  _senpais_  discussed who had the better assets.

_They're just encouraging Bokuto-san's boorish behavior._

"So how is Nekomata- _san_  in school? Is she doing well?" Kuroko asked, pulling the older boy from his thoughts.

Akaashi's steel-blue eyes softened at the mention of the girl. "Doing well is an understatement. Sayuri's very intelligent and I believe she's at the top of her grade."

"Well, Nekomata- _san_ has always been an excellent student," Kuroko affirmed. "Only Akashi- _kun_ ever rivaled her in academics — it's probably why Midorima- _kun_ respects her so much."

"Then we agree on that matter," the setter smiled, tucking his legs into his chest and resting his head on his knees. "But I also respect her because she's a warm-hearted and kind person. She's very observant and can always tell when someone needs encouragement or a shoulder to cry on."

Kuroko was stunned at the older boy's admission. "Are you close to Nekomata- _san_?" he asked, raising a brow. 

The raven-haired boy paused before answering. "I wouldn't call us _close_ , per se," he replied, carefully choosing his words. "We often do homework together and sometimes hang out during school, but she's always surrounded by people so most of the time I only see her if she drops by one of our practices."

"I see she's as popular as ever," the bluenette chuckled.

"Many people know her because of her brains and because she's vice-captain of the cheer team as a first-year."

Still expressionless, Kuroko glanced out of the corner of his eye, watching for the ravenette's reaction. "She's also very beautiful, wouldn't you agree? I'm sure many people have taken notice of her looks, as well."

A blush crept onto Akaashi cheeks. "She does have quite the army of admirers," he grumbled, avoiding the other boy's knowing gaze.

"It was the same in middle school; everyday her locker would be filled with some kind of gift or love letter."

Lapsing into silence, the two turned their attention to the others; Aomine and Bokuto, who were loud just a moment ago, were now sleeping deeply, their snores (hoots in Bokuto's case) filling the air. The rest of the team was chatting in low tones, though most of them looked about ready to crash as well.

Sensing that it was time for bed, Akaashi stood to turn off the lights. When he returned and had settled into his futon, Kuroko quietly cleared his throat. "You seem like a very nice person, Akaashi- _san_ ," he whispered, his icy blue eyes flashing in the dark. "I can tell you care deeply about Nekomata- _san_. I do hope you continue to treat her well because, while I may not look like it, I will get pretty angry if provoked."

Without turning around to face the other, the raven-haired boy nodded.

* * *

_ZZZ-Zzzz-ZZzzz..._ "hngGGggh...Shittykawa"... _zZZzzzZZ..._

Kunimi Akira's eyes snapped open at the sound of Iwaizumi snoring. With a groan, he threw one hand over his face while the other felt around for his phone; dull-brown eyes squinted at the blindingly bright screen as he checked the time.

_It's two in the fucking morning_.

Annoyed, Kunimi smashed his pillow around his ears and burrowing deep into his futon in an attempt to drown out the vice-captain's Godzilla-like sounds. As he tried to fall back to sleep, the people next to him shuffled around loudly, both mumbling something incoherently. Peeking out from under his blanket, the first-year had little time to react before long arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace and a leg slammed into his side.

"Kurokocchi, I love you so much..."

"Stupid Ushiwaka...don't you ever...ever! Forget my worthless pride."

During the night, Kise had made his way onto the wing-spiker's futon and was now curled into a ball around the brunette. Lost in his dreams, the blonde snuggled closer while thinking of his boyfriend; Kunimi shivered in disgust when he felt a puff of warm air on his skin, Kise's lips a hair's breadth away from his ear. On the other side of him, Oikawa was sprawled on his back, his blanket a tangled mess at his feet. The captain's face was scrunched in anger at the thought of his rival and he unconsciously swung a leg out, unfortunately kicking the poor first-year in the process.

His patience wearing thing, Kunimi wriggled his body, trying — and failing — to remove himself from Kise's vice-like grip. As a last resort, he pushed hard against the 77 kg holding him down, only to thrust himself into Oikawa's waiting foot. With a throbbing side and a deep sigh, Kunimi settled onto his back and stared at the ceiling with dead eyes.

_I am in hell._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE 1: Title of chapter is based on the title of _Haikyuu!!_ Season 3 episode 9.
> 
> NOTE 2: Sleeping situation in Seijoh's sleeping quarters is based on the comic found [here](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/42/c8/df/42c8df8b85065fe95316463f66e1b7c3.jpg). Not sure who the artist is — I think it's a twitter user named @suke_benio, but I am unsure since I am unable to read Japanese.
> 
> NOTE 3: Somatotropin is a growth hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are normally found in meat and dairy products and is used as a bodybuilding aid. Astaxanthin is present in most red-coloured aquatic organisms and is a dietary supplement with antioxidant properties. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid that is a primary structural component of the human brain and can be obtained directly from fish oil or algae oil.
> 
> NOTE 4: When a player has lost in shogi, whether they are checkmated ( _tsumi_ ),  
> or realize the situation is hopeless, they resign the game by bowing and saying _makemashita_ , which means "I lost".


	32. Beach, Please!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sacchan, you had to choose this one?"
> 
> "It's cute and simple, Sayucchin. Plus you look great in it! I'd kill to have a body like yours."
> 
> "Look who's talking. Give me some of your boobs and we have a deal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE BEACH SCENE IS FINALLY HERE!! 
> 
> _Gomen, gomen_ for the late update; work has been crazy because my two person team has just become one — me. And so now I have twice the responsibilities meaning that I've been too busy to write :(
> 
> But holy shit guys...this is one long chapter — it's just over 5000 words long! Hopefully it'll make up for how late my update is?
> 
> As always, thank you for reading my story!  
> (Shameless plug: Comments and kudos are always welcomed!)

The following morning was warm and sunny, a perfect day for a trip to the beach. After the Miyagi players returned from their homes to grab swimsuits for themselves and the Tokyo players, the half-asleep teenagers trudged across the tarmac of the parking lot towards the line of buses; alongside the bus that Fukurodani and Nekoma arrived in, Coach Washijou was able to secure a few of Shiratorizawa's buses for the short day trip.

"Alright everyone, make sure to thank Coach Washijou for getting us a couple of extra buses for today!" Coach Nekomata shouted, clapping is hands together. "Here are the bus assignments," he instructed. "Fukurodani will be riding with Shiratorizawa; Seijoh and Nekoma will be on one bus; and Kitten?" he called out, turning to his granddaughter, "you and your friends will be joining Karasuno on the last bus."

After an hour-long bus ride, the group arrived at the beach. With the help of everyone, the designated area was quickly set up with a multitude of umbrellas and beach mats, along with coolers filled with food and grills for the barbecue. There was even a beach volleyball net, swiftly put up by the captains.

Once done, Coach Ukai gathered everyone together as the other coaches began lighting the grills. "Lunch will be in about 15 minutes. After that, you are free to roam around as long as you do not leave the area. If any of you run off to who know's where, you  _will_  be punished. I know you all have been looking forward to this since yesterday, but remember to be on your best behavior!" he warned, looking pointedly at a few of his team's key, but troublesome, players.

Coming up from behind, Daichi firmly gripped Hinata and Kageyama's shoulders while Ennoshita grabbed a hold of Tanaka and Nishinoya's collars. "Don't worry, Coach," the Karasuno captain promised, his face morphing into a menacing smile as he turned to his  _kouhai_. "We won't get carried away, right?" The two first-years nodded in response; beside them, Nishinoya and Tanaka grumbled their agreement after being smacked in the back of the head by their teammate.

All of sudden, Hinata was ripped out of his captain's grasp into a bone-crushing hug from Bokuto. " _CHIBI-CHAN_!" the ace cried, swinging the smaller boy around, "Let's play volleyball!"

"WOO-HOO!" Hinata whooped; the moment his feet touched the ground again, he and Bokuto ran off with their arms above their heads.

"Hinata- _BOKE_!" Kageyama roared, bolting after his partner. Amongst the commotion, Tanaka and Nishinoya managed to break free from the future captain and followed the two first-years.

"Didn't I just say not to get carried away?!" Daichi cried, preparing to run after his  _kouhai_ , only to be stopped by a hand on his arm. He looked back to see Akaashi, a pained look in his steel-blue eyes; bringing his other hand up to his face, the setter gave a small apologetic bow. Shoulders slumping in defeat, Daichi turned to the rest of his teammates. "Never mind them, let's drop off our stuff," he sighed, motioning for the others to follow him.

Akaashi pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. As he stood there, he felt slender arms wrap around him and his eyes snapped open in surprise. "Sayuri?" he guessed, "W-What's the m-matter?"

"Don't beat yourself up over Bokuto- _san_ 's antics. We're at the beach!" she giggled, releasing her hold so that she could stand in front of him. "You should enjoy yourself!" With one final grin, Akaashi watched as she skipped over to the other girls and a few of the boys, who had gathered under one of the larger umbrellas.  _As long as you're here, I will be_ , he thought, running a hand through his raven locks as he followed after her. Tossing his stuff onto the sand, Akaashi plopped down next to Kenma, who only dipped his head in acknowledgement before turning his attention back to his game.

"Sayucchin!" Momoi squealed, throwing her arms around Sayuri, "Let's change into our swimsuits!" Tilting her head towards the other girls, the pink-haired girl's grin grew wider. "You too, Yacchin, Suzucchan, Shimizu- _senpai_ , and Shirofuku- _senpai_!"

As they got up to go to the restrooms, Sayuri was halted by a tug on her wrist. Looking back, she saw Akashi with a deceivingly calm look on his face. She raised her brow, the silent questions apparent in her eyes.

"Perhaps it'd be best if you all kept your outer clothing on?" Akashi suggested, others in the group nodding in agreement. "There may be a few brutes about who won't be able to resist the temptation of such beautiful young women in swimsuits." At his compliment, Yachi and Suzumeda turned bright red while Shirofuku jokingly fanned herself. Sayuri just rolled her eyes in response as Momoi snickered, familiar with the red-head's penchant for being overprotective.

"Sei, you're worrying too much. There are many other girls here in swimsuits," Sayuri sighed, waving her arm at the crowds of skimpily-clothed girls around them. "Anyway, I highly doubt people will be looking at us with you guys here," she added. "See?" Sure enough, the moment Kise and Oikawa removed their shirts, a horde of girls surrounded them asking for their numbers. Even Semi was garnering much attention, though his flushed face indicated that he wasn't used to it.

Unable to argue, Akashi released his grip and with a blinding smile, Sayuri and the girls made their way across the beach. "Daiki," the red-head asked, refusing to tear his gaze from the group's retreating figures. "Do you know what kind of swimsuit Satsuki brought for Sayu?"

"Not sure," Aomine answered, his voice muffled by his shirt as he tugged it over his head. "But I think it was a bikini? She has a bunch of them since she used to live in California."

Imaginations running wild, four boys held their breath at the thought.

* * *

"Sacchan, you had to choose this one?" Sayuri groaned, rotating her swimsuit-clad body while she eyed herself in the restroom's large mirror.

Momoi's voice drifted through the air as she exited her stall. "It's cute and simple, Sayucchin. Plus you look great in it!" she gushed, nudging her. "I'd kill to have a body like yours."

"Look who's talking. Give me some of your boobs and we have a deal."

Just as Sayuri braided her long hair into a plait that hung down her back, the click of several stall doors behind them alerted the two that the rest of the girls had finished changing as well. Swiveling around, Momoi shrieked in excitement as she saw the others. "Ahh, you all look amazing!" she gasped, her eyes lighting up.

"T-thank y-you, Momoi- _san_ ," Yachi stuttered, embarrassed.

"You're so adorable, Yacchin," the pink-haired beauty squealed, pulling the blonde into a hug.

Leaning against her  _kouhai_ , Shirofuku smiled. "Thanks for lending us these swimsuits, Momoi- _chan_ , even though these are technically Sayu- _nyan_ 's," she chuckled. Next to her, Suzumeda tugged on her straps self-consciously, a blush growing on her cheeks.

"No problem! Ji-ji told me that you two were around Sayucchin's size so I just grabbed a few extra from her house."

"How did you get into my house anyway?" Sayuri grumbled, rubbing sunscreen onto her face. "No one's home right now."

A sly smile grew on Momoi's face as she snatched the bottle of sunscreen out of the girl's hand. "Don't be silly! The guys and I practically lived at your house in middle school — Kise still does — so we know where your family keeps the spare key."

"You're unbelievable," Sayuri muttered, poking her best friend in the side as Momoi dissolved into giggles. "Come on, we should go back." Collecting their things, the girls headed outside to rejoin the others.

\-----

While the girls were changing, the boys split up into two groups: those who lounged around waiting for lunch to be ready and those who decided to work up a sweat so that they could devour the plethora of meat that was waiting for them. An intense match of beach volleyball between  _kouhais_  and  _senpais_ was in full swing; while the enthusiasm and brute strength of Kageyama, Hinata, Lev, Bokuto, Goshiki, and Inuoka were a force to be reckoned with, the provocative personalities of Tendou, Kuroo, Matsukawa, Hanamaki, and even Sugawara (though Azumane was timidly cowering in fear of his peers) proved to be a challenge.

Just as Hinata launched himself up into the air to spike one of Kageyama's quick tosses, Kuroo smirked as he rose up to meet him — only for the smaller boy to get distracted at the last minute, sending the ball straight into the cat captain's face. Landing on his butt, Kuroo sat in a daze as everyone crowded around him.

" _GOMENASAI_!" Hinata shouted, profusely bowing in apology.

After being helped to his feet by Bokuto, Kuroo affectionately ruffled the boy's wild orange hair. "Don't sweat it,  _chibi_ - _chan_. But care to explain what happened?" he asked.

Hinata's cheeks flushed and he dropped his gaze to the ground, his body fidgeting as he scribbled in the sand with his foot. "U-umm, it w-was j-just..." He paused to lift his head, his eyes wide as if a deer in the headlights, then attempted to speak again. "I-I m-mean...g-girls..." Taking a huge gulp of air, the boy wailed, "THE GIRLS ARE HEADED BACK HERE AND THEY'RE IN SWIMSUITS AND THEY'RE SO PRETTY LIKE  _GWAHH_ AND MY HEART WENT  _BADUMP_ BUT MY HEAD WENT _WOOSH_." He breathed in deeply once more before covering his face with his hands.

Everyone's heads whipped around towards the direction of the restrooms, their eyes searching for the girls. As if parting the sea of people before them, the crowd split, revealing a group of beautiful young women the boys knew all too well.

At the forefront was Suzumeda, wearing a gold and black sporty two-piece that accentuated her athletic frame, and Yachi, who exuded cuteness in her adorable pink and blue ruffled skirtini. 

Konoha, Sarukui, and Komi all gave a thumbs up in approval of the younger manager, only to be smacked in the back of the head by a stern-looking Washio.

 _So cute_ , Yamaguchi thought, his freckled face burning bright red as he stared at the petite blonde.

Following closely behind them were the beloved third-year managers: Shimizu in a deep plum one-piece with a lilac sarong wrapped around her waist, while Shirofuku glowed in a flattering olive-green bralette and high-waisted bikini.

"KIYOKO- _SAMA_!" Nishinoya, Tanaka, and Yamamoto sobbed, falling to their knees as they worshipped their goddess.

Snickering at his best bro's slack-jawed expression, Kuroo playfully punched Bokuto in the arm. "Cat got your tongue, bro?"

His owl eyes wide, the Fukurodani ace swiveled his head to look at his friend. "Bro," he gasped, "Yukie's so pretty!"

Bringing up the rear, their arms linked while they giggled at some shared secret, were Momoi and Sayuri. The pinkette was clad in a teal halter bikini and a white hoodie — any less and Aomine (along with many other males at the beach) would suffer from fatal blood loss.

Despite the several beauties in front of them, Akashi, Kenma, Ushijima, and Akaashi only had eyes for the gray-eyed girl, a black string bikini emphasizing the curves of her toned body. Their hearts clenched and their bodies burned at the sight of her exposed skin, pale in comparison to the dark fabric, yet the contrast just adding to her beauty. 

As they struggled to maintain their composures, a shout from Coach Nekomata diverted their attention. "Food's ready!" Yasufumi called out, unleashing the hungry beasts within and causing the boys to stampede across the sand towards the sizzling meat cooking on the grills.

"Sayuricchi, let's eat!" Kise hollered, tackling the poor girl without warning and hoisting her up so that she sat in his arms, all while he made a beeline for the food. 

"Ryouta, you half-naked gorilla!" the girl shrieked, as she tightened her hold around his neck in order not to topple over. "Put me down!" The four boys watched as the blonde placed her onto the sand, their hands curling into fists when his hands gently rested on either side Sayuri's bare waist. To their dismay, she didn't bother to remove herself from the boy's touch, only jokingly smacked him in the chest before loading up both their plates with meat and vegetables.

"This Kise Ryouta is beginning to irritate me," Ushijima bluntly stated, slowly rising to his feet and holding out his hands to Akaashi and Kenma; the two second-years nodded in agreement as Shiratorizawa's ace helped them up.

Akashi's red eyes narrowed, pushing himself off the ground to join the others. "For once, I believe we all agree on something."

* * *

After lunch, everyone went off in different directions. While some splashed around in the water, others decided to relax on the sand.

Too full to move, Sayuri laid out on her belly under a large umbrella. Next to her, Kenma sat tapping away at his game console, his chin resting on his knees with his arms wrapped around his legs. Turning her head towards the boy, Sayuri yawned. "Kenma?" she slurred, sleepily, "Could you wake me up in fifteen minutes, please?" Without waiting for a response, her eyes closed and she nodded off.

Shutting off his game, Kenma focused his attention on the sleeping girl. Minutes passed and yet he felt could watch her forever. With carefully movements, he tenderly caressed her face, brushing away stray tendrils of hair as his fingers trailed across her temple and along her jawline. Cupping her cheek, he smiled when she nuzzled into his palm, her serene and almost child-like expression warmed his heart.

Taking a deep breath, Kenma continued his exploration of her face, his fingers lightly tracing her features. The long eyelashes that framed her gray-eyes, the beauty mark under her left eye, her cute button nose that turned up just a bit at the end, and lastly her rosey lips — Kenma was always entranced by her lips. The upper lip was slightly larger than her lower lip and she had a habit of chewing on her bottom lip whenever she was bored. Her lips were plump and inviting and it never failed to tug on the boy's heartstrings.

But it wasn't just her physical appearance that the setter was drawn to. She was intimidating because she was everything he wasn't: expressive, sociable, athletic. She was beautiful and popular and so unattainable — how could someone like him even associate with someone like her? Despite his initial impression, getting to know her proved that she was humble and kind, never making him feel as if he needed to be someone else other than himself. She embraced him for who he was and it was the first time in a long time that Kenma instantly felt comfortable with someone he had just met.

In the short amount of time that he knew her, he had fallen for her  _hard_.

"I love you," he blurted, unable to contain his feelings.

Slapping a hand over his mouth, Kenma watched in horror as Sayuri's eyes snapped open in surprise. The two sat in silence while they both tried to find their voices.

"You were awake? You heard me?!" he finally gasped, his face growing paler by the second.

"Kenma..." she murmured; she reached out for his hand only to grab air as he scuttled away from her. Before she could say anything more, Kenma bolted off, leaving a flustered Sayuri in his wake.

\-----

As she watched the retreating figure of Nekoma's setter, a shadow fell over her body. "Neko- _chan_!" Tendou sang, hovering over the girl. Sayuri lifted her head, squinting her eyes at the outline of the red-headed middle blocker. Squatting down, Tendou shoved his face into hers. "Hmm..what's this? Your face is so red!"

Embarrassed, Sayuri buried her face back into the towel, throwing her arms over her head. "It's just hot," she grumbled, still shocked by the confession she received. "Is that all you came over to say?"

"Someone's a little grumpy after her nap!" Tendou cackled. "But no; we came over to see if you wanted to join us!"

She raised in eyebrow, waiting for him to explain. "Join you...in what?" she asked, wary.

"Cliff diving!"

"What?!"

Slapping his friend in the back of his head, Semi gave the girl a sheepish smile as he held his hand out in invitation. "Sorry for this idiot, Sayuri. There's a large rock down at the end of the beach that we were going to jump off of and we were wondering if you wanted to join us."

"Ever the gentleman," Sayuri chuckled, gingerly taking his hand. Pulling her to her feet, she dusted the sand off her legs. "Just so you know, my fear of heights is only second to my fear of cockroaches," she warned.

"But you're a cheerleader!" Semi exclaimed, reaching out to help; all of sudden, Ushijima's hand darted out and stopped his teammate, deftly maneuvering Sayuri out of Semi's grasp and into his. Behind them, Tendou snickered at his captain.

"Sayu's fine as long as she starts on the ground," Ushijima explained as he fished out the remaining grains of sand in her locks.

Nodding, Sayuri's expression was serious. "There's a difference between being thrown in the air and jumping off of something."

"Oh, come on, Neko- _chan_!" Tendou whined, his round eyes pleading. "It'll be fun! And if anything happens, our miracle boys Wakatoshi- _kun_ and Reon- _kun_ will save you!"

"I can save you too, Sayuri- _sama_!" Goshiki shouted, puffing out his chest.

Pushing up onto the tips of her toes, Sayuri pinched the boy's cheeks. "Well then, I entrust my life to you Tsutomu," she laughed, earning a large grin from him. "Alright boys, let's get this over with." 

As they made their way down the beach, Ushijima walked alongside Sayuri. "Tendou's not wrong. I'll always come to your rescue, Sayu," he declared, not embarrassed in the slightest.

Sayuri smiled, her eyes softening. "I know, Toshi- _kun_. You're my knight in shining armor, remember?" she replied softly as they reached the rock. Climbing up to the top, they huddled together, trying to decide the order. " _Jan_ _ken pon_!" they all shouted, throwing out their hands. Surveying the results, they were left with five pairs: first up were Tendou and Shirabu, followed by Ohira and Goshiki, Kawanishi and Semi, Soekawa and Yamagata, with Ushijima and Sayuri going last.

"Ugh, why am I with Tendou?!" Shirabu wailed, tugging on his hair. "And we're going first!"

Hooking an arm around his  _kouhai_ 's neck, Tendou dragged the poor boy to the edge. " _BANZAI_!!!!" he shouted, pushing Shirabu off before leaping after him.

"FUCK YOU TENDOUUUUUU!" The setter's screams were cut off with an audible splash as he hit the water.

Clenching his fists, Goshiki looked as if he was about to cry. "I can do this, I can do this," he mumbled to himself as he shakily made his way towards the edge.

"Come on future ace," Semi taunted, lighting a fire beneath the younger boy. "Show us what you're made of!" Bracing himself, Goshiki got a running start and vaulted off with a loud roar, quickly followed by Ohira. "We're up next, Taichi!" the third-year laughed, turning to the middle blocker next to him. Silently nodding, Kawanishi watched in admiration as his favorite  _senpai_ launched himself off the rock, doing a flip before gracefully diving into water; giddy, he did a cannonball, creating a huge splash in his wake. 

"Ok, on the count of three," Yamagata said, looking over at his friend. With a smile, Soekawa fist-bumped the libero as they counted off.

"1...2...3!" they shouted, diving into the water at the same time.

Nervous, Sayuri gripped Ushijima's hand, his fingers tightening around hers as he tried to comfort the shaking girl. "Are you alright, Sayu?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry, "We don't have to jump."

Though a shaky smile was plastered on her face, her eyes were determined. "No, I want to do this," she squeaked, "I have you here with me, so there's nothing to worry, right?"

It was what he loved the most about her. She always tried to be strong so not to worry others; when she'd fall down or get hurt, she'd clench her teeth at the pain, never complaining that it hurt. When she stood up to the bullies who teased him for being brusque, she shakily held her ground despite being scared. Even when her father died, she was the one comforting her mother as tears streamed down her own face.

He may be her knight in shining armor, but she was his tenacious and benevolent queen.

Their fingers still entwined as they hit the water, Ushijima opened his eyes to a sight that made his heart beat rapidly. Bubbles from their landing floated upwards, framing her face and giving her an ethereal appearance. Lithe and elegant, it was as if she was a creature of the ocean that could disappear into the dark depths at any moment without a trace — but there was no way he'd ever let that happen. Gently cupping her face with one hand, he gently pulled her towards him, their lips drawing closer to each others until they were only centimeters apart.

Just then, unable to hold their breaths any longer, the two surfaced, gasping for air as they bobbed with the current.

Floating towards her, Ushijima rested his forehead on hers, his gaze so piercing that she couldn't look away. "I love you, Sayu," he confessed, his voice deep and thick with emotion, "I've loved you ever since I first met you."

"Toshi- _kun_ , I —"

Pulling back, he shook his head. "I know you've always seen me as your childhood friend, but I want you to look at me as a man — a man who loves you." Ushijima dropped his gaze. "I apologize for springing this upon you; I just couldn't contain my feelings any longer."

Something akin to panic rose inside of Sayuri. "I, uh, I need t-to go," she sputtered, swimming off and scrambling up the shore the moment her feet touched the sand. Stumbling in shock, Sayuri bumped into Goshiki.

"Sayuri- _sama_? Where are you going?" the boy asked, worriedly. "Are you hurt?"

Ducking down to hide her growing blush, Sayuri shook her head. "No, it's nothing," she stammered, moving quickly back towards the picnic area. "I...uhh...just need more sunscreen!"

Turning around to face his captain as he exited the water, the first-year asked, "Did something happen?"

 "...No." 

\-----

Panting for air after sprinting across the beach, Sayuri wrapped herself in her towel and flopped onto the mat. With her thoughts jumbled up by the past hour, she grabbed her sunscreen bottle and began applying it to her skin. Hoping to distract herself, she hummed a nondescript tune as she worked the sunblock in absentmindedly, not noticing Akaashi joining her.

"Can I have some as well?"

Sayuri jumped. "Holy shit, Keiji- _kun_ ," she wheezed, clutching the bottle tightly and accidentally squirting too much onto her hand. "You scared me!"

"My apologies," he chuckled, swiping some of the sunblock from her hand. "Something on your mind?" he asked, smudging a bit on her nose before rubbing the rest onto his face.

"Not really," she lied, her voice soft.

Not wanting to push her, Akaashi didn't press any further and they lapsed into a comfortable silence. Out of the corner of his eye, the ravenette couldn't help but to admire the beautiful girl next to him. His fingers itched to run through her long hair, to touch the exposed skin of her arms and legs, to feel the supple curves of her —

Akaashi was ripped from his trance by Sayuri, who was snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Keiji- _kun_?" Though embarrassed that he was caught staring, he kept his expression neutral.

"Yes?" he hummed, glancing down at his fidgeting hands.

"Can you help me get my back?"

Akaashi's head snapped up to gape at the girl. "Excuse me?" he coughed, unsure if he heard her correctly.

"Could you help me put sunscreen on my back?" Sayuri giggled. "I can sort of reach most areas, but I don't want it to be splotchy and risk getting a stupid-looking tan."

"Uh...sure."

Scooting back, he positioned himself behind her with his legs on either side of her. Taking the bottle of sunblock she offered over her shoulder, Akaashi nervously squeezed out a generous amount into his hand. Slightly shaking, he gingerly began rubbing it into her skin using long strokes. His hands explored her body slowly, making sure to work the sunscreen evenly across her skin. They ran up and down her back, and along her sides, pausing for a second on her slim waist.

Sayuri flinched. "Tickles," she gasped, her voice airy as her body began to relax again.

"Mmmm, sorry," he breathed.

Sliding his hands back up, he rubbed in the remaining sunblock into her neck and across her shoulders. Noticing a tiny scar, he lightly traced the thin, almost invisible line. "What happened here?" he murmured, leaning in to get a better look.

"Hmm?" Because of their close proximity, when Sayuri turned her head, Akaashi's nose brushed up against her cheek. At the contact, the two stilled, neither one making a move to either get closer or farther away from the other. "Ahh, do you mean my scar?" Sayuri whispered, her breath fanning across his face before she faced forwards once again. "I got it when I was a child. Got it when a bunch of bullies pushed me down. I was tiny compared to them, but I couldn't just watch them tease Toshi- _kun_!" She chuckled at the memory. "I tried to help but I just made things worse; I was a little brat back then and thought I could do anything. Still do."

Akaashi smiled, his heart melting as he thought of the many different sides of her and how lucky he was he was able to see them. She could be calming, like drizzling rain or feisty and frightening, like a thundering storm. She was passionate and caring, like a roaring campfire on a chilly summer night, there to warm you up and provide light in the dark. She was mature, but also child-like, not afraid to serve sass and attitude when warranted.

He loved every one of them.

He loved  _her_.

Wrapping his arms around her, Akaashi pulled her close, her back pressed up against his chest. He leaned close, his lips grazing her ears as he spoke. "I love you, Sayuri," he whispered. "Take all the time in the world to think about it, but I just wanted you to know." Carefully unwinding himself, Akaashi slowly rose, running off to join Bokuto and Kuroo in a pick-up game of volleyball without a backwards glance.

Sayuri shivered at the sudden loss of warmth, and yet her face burned bright, her heart hammering in her chest.

\-----

"Sayu?"

Sayuri's head whipped around to face the source of the voice. Standing next to her as she attempted (and failed) to gather her thoughts was a worried Akashi, his red hair dripping wet. Rising from the ground, she reached up to dry him off and gave him a small smile. "Hey Sei."

Cocking an eyebrow as she ruffled his hair, he grabbed her wrist to stop her. "Sayu," he said, his tone serious, "what's wrong?" His red eyes roamed across her face, trying to determine if she was hurt or in pain.

Wiggling out of his grip, Sayuri brought her arms down to circle around his waist. "I just have a lot on my mind," she sighed, resting her forehead on his chest.

Akashi pulled back to look at her, rubbing her arms in a comforting manner. "How about we take a walk?" he asked, hoping to cheer her up.

"Let's."

Walking hand in hand, they traveled down the beach, talking about everything and anything. Conversations between them always flowed easily and Akashi had always appreciated that she had a sharp mind. She was one of the few people, besides Midorima, that could rival his intelligence and wit, and her personality added a special flair that made him want more. From the moment he met her, when she first transferred into his class, he was intrigued; sure, he was annoyed at first, believing he'd be babysitting the new student — but that annoyance quickly turned into amusement. As time went on and he got to know her, he became enthralled. She was fascinating and full of surprises, and she always did the opposite of what he thought she'd do. She was capable and ambitious and matched him in stride.

She was his equal in every way and side-by-side, they were a force to be reckoned with. So when she suggested they break up, saying it was for the best since they were going to be separated in high school, he was too stunned to put up a fight. He was devastated, and yet he couldn't go back on his word, not when she was doing it for him.

But their time apart didn't diminish their relationship, they were still as close as ever even without the label of "boyfriend" and "girlfriend", and Akashi knew that distance wouldn't make a difference as long as they had feelings for each other. Though he wasn't sure if she still felt the same way, he knew that if there was even the tiniest sliver of hope, he'd take it.

"Sayu," he said, stopping in his tracks. They had walked quite a ways away from the others and were in a more secluded part of the beach with only a few passerby here and there. Facing her, he grabbed her hands and laced his fingers through hers. "How do you feel about me?"

Confused, Sayuri tilted her head. "You know you're one of my best friends, Sei."

"I understand that, but...we used to date, Sayu, up until recently. Is there any chance that we could go back to the way it used to be?" he murmured.

Realizing where he was going, Sayuri shook her head vigorously. "Sei, please, I can't do this right now!" she cried, tears forming in her gray eyes.

"Sayu, I love you," he suddenly blurted, his hands tightening their grip on hers, "Even though we broke up, I'm still in love with you. Please," he pleaded, "come back to me."

After all that had happened, Sayuri's heart was on the verge of breaking. "Sei...I need time to think about this — to think about everything. There's too much going on and it's overwhelming."

"What — "

"I'm so sorry, Sei," she sobbed, ripping her hand from his, "Just give me some time. Please." Tears streaming down her face, she ran off, her heart finally shattering into pieces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Fuuuucccckkkkk_...WHAT A DRAMATIC ENDING. Didn't even mean to do that.
> 
> NOTE 1: Poor Kise...he can't help but be affectionate to his close friends, unfortunately bringing the wrath of a few jealous boys upon him in the process.
> 
> NOTE 2: Sayu's fears are the same as mine. I FUCKING HATE cockroaches. I've definitely cried one too many times because of a roach. But I'm also extremely afraid of heights despite being a flyer. I have no problems being thrown up into the air and yet I start panicking when climbing stairs that have slits in between. There really is a difference between being thrown into the air and falling off of something.
> 
> NOTE 3: Heartbreak (or Takotsubo syndrome, if you want to get technical) can be triggered by both negative and positive events; as long as it's stressful, it could lead to heartbreak. In this case, Sayuri is stressed out by all the confessions and Sei's confession is the final blow. She loves all of them but she doesn't know who she's _in_ love with.
> 
> \-----
> 
> This will be the last chapter before the story splits into the multiple endings. Not sure who's going to be the first...
> 
> I know that some of you may be upset with how the individual confessions went, as they're pretty brief. But I didn't want to focus too much on them since there was no set endgame. I actually began this story with a "choose your ending" in mind because I couldn't decide which love interest would end up with the heroine — they're all my favorites XD. And so I'll be putting a hell of a lot more effort in the endings in order to make up for the shitty confession scenes.
> 
> With the holidays coming up, I most likely won't be able to continue with my weekly updates — hell, it took me a little over a week to finish this chapter. I'll try my best, but I don't want to rush and half-ass things especially since these are the most important chapters. Hope you'll continue reading and enjoying my story!


	33. I Look At You And...I'm Home (Ushijima Ending)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's something about childhood friends that you just can't replace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FINALLY FINISHED!
> 
> It's HELLA long, but I didn't want to leave anything out, not when Ushijima and our heroine shared so much history with each other.

"Yo, Ga- _chan_! Over here!" Utsui Takashi called out, pushing himself off the car he was leaning against and waving his hand at the man walking towards him. His son clung to his leg as the other man came closer.

"Takkun, It's good to see you!" Nekomata Manabu greeted, giving his friend a high-five. "Sorry we're late. It took forever to leave the house — Sayu's not a morning person," he explained with a sigh, his annoyance betrayed by the tender look he gave his daughter, softly snoring in his arms.

"Guess she takes after you in that sense," Utsui snorted before turning his attention to the little girl. "I haven't seen little Sayuri since her  _hatsu tanjo_  last year," he exclaimed, gently pinching the slumbering toddler's cheek. "It's like I'm looking at a miniature Ritsu- _chan_!"

"She's definitely just like her mother," Nekomata mused, chuckling at the thought.

"So, how's the move going? Have you guys unpacked everything?" Utsui asked as he unloaded things from his car. "Still adjusting to the country life?"

"More or less," Nekomata responded. "Never thought I'd leave Tokyo, but I love my wife so much, I'd follow her anywhere."

Utsui playfully punched his friend in the arm. "Well, it's sort of hard to pass up the opportunity to teach at _Tohokudai_ ," he smirked, shaking his head. "I'm not surprised that she was offered the position, but I  _am_ still amazed that someone as brilliant as Ritsu- _chan_ decided to marry such a goofball like you."

"Oi, I'm not that stupid — Ritsu is just an anomaly."

"Sure, sure," Utsui laughed, dodging a punch from his friend. "Let's hope Sayuri takes after her mother in the brains department, too." He glanced at the girl, who was still peacefully asleep. "Do you think she'll like living in Sendai?"

"Who knows? But I think it'll be good for Sayu to grow up away from the city," Nekomata smiled at his daughter. "Also, we would've had to hire someone to babysit her while we're at work since my parents are too busy. But here, Ritsu's family can take care of her." As he gently brushed stray locks of hair from her face, the girl stirred, her eyes slowly opening. "Ah, good morning, Kitten," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Did you sleep well?"

" _Ohayou_ , Daddy," the child replied, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with tiny fists. When she noticed the strangers in front of her, Sayuri hid her face in her father's neck.

"Kitten, say hi," Nekomata hummed, nudging her cheek with his chin.

Sayuri raised her head to peek at the man and his son. "Hewwo," she whispered, her small hands nervously gripping her father's shirt.

"Hi there Sayu! You can call me Taka- _oji_ ," Utsui cooed and the little girl smiled shyly. "I'm your daddy and mommy's friend!"

"Daddy and Mama?" Sayuri questioned.

"Yup! Your mama and I went to high school together, and then I met your daddy in university," he replied. "I introduced your parents to each other and they've been in love ever since." Next to him, Ushijima tugged on his father's pants, feeling left out. "Oh and this is my son, Wakatoshi," he added, ruffling the hair of the young boy still attached to his leg. "He's four years old, so a couple years older than you."

" _Hajimemashite_ ," Ushijima said with a polite bow, not letting go of his father.

Nekomata laughed at the boy's formality. "Nice to meet you too," he greeted, bending down so that he and his daughter were eye-level with the boy. "I'm Manabu- _oji_ , but everyone calls me Ga- _chan_ because of how my name is written. And this beautiful young lady is Sayu!" he informed, showering the girl with eskimo kisses. Pealing with glee, Sayuri returned his affection with a sloppy kiss to the nose.

"I'm Sayu!" she shouted, swiveling her head to look at Ushijima. "Toshi- _kun_ Sayu's fwend?" she chirped, her eyes wide as she looked between her father and Ushijima.

Not used to such warmth from strangers, Ushijima hid his face in his father's pants; Utsui lovingly patted his head and nudged him forward with a reassuring smile. Taking a deep breath, he shuffled towards the Nekomatas, their round gray eyes staring at him in anticipation. "Yes, we're friends," Ushijima affirmed, gazing downward.

Sayuri squealed happily. She squirmed in her father's embrace until he loosened his grip, enough so that she could extend her arms out towards her new friend. When she realized she couldn't reach him, she puffed her cheeks at the man holding her. "Daddy! Put me down, pwease!" she pouted.

Nekomata's grasp went slack and she gently landed on the ground. " _Arigatou_ ," Sayuri said as she excitedly toddled over to the boy with her arms spread wide, eager to give him a hug. Just a few steps away from her goal she tripped over her feet and tipped forward; on instinct, Ushijima reached out and caught her. He looked down at the girl, worry etched on his face; however, she was fine and giggling cheerfully, nuzzling into his chest and squeezing him tight.

The two adults chuckled at the young boy's bright red face. "Aren't they just adorable," Nekomata cooed, whipping his phone out to snap pictures. "I have to show Ritsu this!"

"Maybe they'll get married in the future" Utsui teased, cackling at his friend's aghast expression.

* * *

"You're nothing but a loser who has no friends because no one likes you!"

Surrounded by a group of boys, Ushijima stood quietly.  _Talking back would only make things worse,_ he internally sighed, hoping that they would soon tire themselves and leave him alone before his best friend came ba—

"Hey!"

Turning their heads at the voice, the boys watched as a little girl of about four years old rushed over, her gray-eyes angry. "Stop teasing Toshi- _kun_!" Sayuri shouted, spreading her arms wide in front of Ushijima. "You guys auw the losuhs, not him!"

"How lame, _Toshi_ - _kun_ ," one of them taunted, while the rest of them laughed. "Needing a small girl to protect you!" 

Just then, Sayuri strode up to the leader of the group with a determined look on her face. "Toshi- _kun_   _does_ have fwends," she said through gritted teeth, "Me!" Winding her arm, she swung with as much force as she could muster to hit her target: the boy's crotch.

"Why, you!" he wheezed, doubling over in pain. Reaching out, he shoved the girl, pushing her to the ground where she fell with a loud  _thud_. 

"Ow," Sayuri whined, clutching her shoulder as she held back her tears.

"It's not our fault she got hurt!" another boy stammered, all of them backing away slowly after noticing the amount of blood. "Damn, we better get out of here!" Clicking their tongues, the group of bullies spun on their heels and ran off.

"Sayu," Ushijima murmured, gingerly helping the girl to her feet. "We need to get you home."

"No," she pouted as she shook her head. "Mama and Daddy will get mad at Sayu."

Smiling at her obstinacy, Ushijima rested his forehead on hers. "You're hurt. Manabu- _oji_ and Ritsuko- _oba_ will be more mad if you don't treat your wounds." When she nodded in defeat, he bent down with his back facing her. "Here, get on." Climbing on, Sayuri wrapped her legs around his waist and nestled her face into his shoulder. Careful not to jostle her injured shoulder, Ushijima stood up and made his way to her house.

"Wakatoshi- _kun_? Sayu?" Ritsuko asked when she opened the door, seeing the two children covered in dirt. "Oh my goodness, Kitten, what happened?!" she gasped, noticing the cut on her daughter's shoulder.

From inside the house, the three heard heavy footsteps as Manabu rushed into the doorway. "My precious Kitten is hurt?!" he hollered, bending down to inspect his daughter's body. "Are you hurt anywhere else? Did someone do this to you?!"

"Sorry," Ushijima apologized, his head bowing in shame. "It's all my fault. Some boys from my class cornered me and Sayu got involved. They pushed her down and she got hurt." 

"They were teasing Toshi- _kun_ , so Sayu punched him in the balls like Daddy said to do!"

"That's my girl!" Manabu whooped, earning a smack from his wife.

"Don't encourage fighting!" Ritsuko scolded before turning back to her daughter. "Kitten, don't listen to your father. When that kind of thing happens, you should find an adult to help you," she chided as she bandaged up the girl's shoulder. "And thank you, Wakatoshi- _kun_ , for bringing Sayu back safely," she added ruffling the boy's hair.

Sayuri puffed her cheeks, her brows furrowing in annoyance. "But Mama! They said Toshi- _kun_ had no fwends!" she huffed, stomping her feet. "They said no one likes him because he's a losuh, but Sayu likes Toshi- _kun_!"

"You really do like him a lot, huh?" Ritsuko laughed, kissing her daughter on the forehead.

"Mmhmm! Sayu is going to mawwy Toshi- _kun_ and be like Mama and Daddy!" she grinned, much to the dismay of her father.

Their backs turned toward him, the three Nekomatas failed to see the bright red blush on Ushijima's face.

* * *

"Toshi- _kun_ , let's play volleyball!"

Ushijima looked up to see Sayuri with her hands on her hips, a volleyball tucked under her arm. Though she wore a smile, he could tell that she was just as sad as he was.

While they had always been amicable, Ushijima knew that his parents had long since lost the love they had for each other; after years of skirting around the issue, his parents had finally decided on a divorce. With his mother taking full custody of Ushijima, his father was free to pursue his dream of coaching overseas, cultivating the next generation of volleyball players around the world.

"Don't worry," Sayuri reassured him as she bumped and set the ball to herself. "Taka- _oji_ will come back to visit as much as he can."

"Yeah," Ushijima mumbled, unconvinced.

He was happy for his father — he really was — but there was a part of him that was bitter; his father was finally free of the high expectations of the Ushijima household while he was left to drown on his own.

Not to mention he'd miss him dearly.

"Heads up," Sayuri shouted, tossing the ball to him and pulling him out of his self-wallowing. On instinct, his arms stretched in front of him to receive the ball, sending it back to the girl. They fell into a comfortable silence as they passed the ball back and forth between them, everything else smothered by the sounds of the cicadas. Time flew by while the two continued to play and soon the clear blue sky turned pink, though the air was still warm due to the summer heat.

Panting, they flopped down onto the grass, their hands finding the others as they caught their breath. "Sayu?" Ushijima said when he had regained his composure, "Do you think I'm a burden on my father?"

Frowning, Sayuri turned her head to her childhood friend. "You're not a burden! Why would you think that?"

Still staring up at the darkening sky, Ushijima replied, "Well, if it wasn't for me, Father wouldn't have stayed as long as he did. He could have achieved his dream by now if I wasn't born."

Her eyes narrowing in anger, she rolled over onto Ushijima. "Ugh," he groaned, his arms unconsciously wrapping around the girl. "Sayu, please warn me next time," he grumbled, though the tenderness in his voice belied his words.

Ignoring him, Sayuri lifted her head so that her gray eyes could meet his olive ones. "Stop right there," she growled, "No way does Taka- _oji_ regret that you were born. He loves you so much."

"Then why is he leaving me?"

"He's not really leaving you" she sighed, resting her chin on his chest. "He'll always be there to support you...It'll just be from afar."

"I guess," he grumbled. Bringing one hand up to play with her hair, Ushijima exhaled deeply. "At least I have you here with me."

Sayuri tightened her hold on him. "It's alright, Toshi- _kun,_ I promise that we'll be together forever!" she declared.

Despite his earlier sadness, Ushijima's face broke into a smile. "Forever," he repeated, hiding behind his hands in embarrassment.

* * *

The following spring, near the end of Sayuri's second year of elementary, tragedy struck.

As usual, Sayuri and Ushijima were at his house doing homework after school until her father picked her up. Outside, the weather had taken a turn for the worse; the dark, gray clouds were ominous as the rain poured from the skies. Looking up from her books, Sayuri glanced at the clock.

" _Tou_ - _san_ 's late today," she murmured, a little worried. Turning to the boy next to her, she frowned. "Do you think some—"

Before she could finish, the door slammed open to reveal one of the Ushijima household's maids, disheveled and out of breath. Their heads swiveling towards the interruption, Sayuri and Ushijima looked at the older woman with mirrored confused expressions. "Sayuri- _sama_ ," the maid panted as she scrambled to pack up the girl's things, "You must hurry to the hospital." 

"Saitou- _san_ , is everything okay?" Sayuri stammered, her eyes frantic.

"Your father was in an accident."

Ushering her of the room, with Ushijima close behind, Saitou bent down to the girl's level. "Your mother is on her way to the hospital now, along with your grandparents," she replied, securing a rain coat around Sayuri's small body. "Takahashi- _san_ will take you there," she said just as the driver appeared with an umbrella.

Noticing that Ushijima was also donning his coat, Saitou placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Wakatoshi- _sam_ _a_ , you must stay here," she scolded.

"Please," Sayuri begged, reaching for her friend, "let Toshi- _kun_ come with me!" Finding his hand, she intertwined their fingers and refused to let go.

Seeing that the girl was on the verge of tears, the older woman's stern expression softened. She handed the girl's bag to Takahashi before patting the two kids on their heads. "Alright, Sayuri- _sam_ _a_ , he may go with you," she allowed. "I shall inform the Madam about the situation so please just focus on your father's health. Now off you two go."

Throughout the entire car ride, no one spoke a word. Ever since leaving the house, Sayuri's hand gripped Ushijima's — as if he was her lifeline and letting go meant she'd shatter into a million pieces.

"Toshi- _kun_?  _Tou_ - _san_ will be ok, won't he?" she asked, her voice small and weak.

Unable to say anything, Ushijima just nodded, squeezing her hand tighter as they once again lapsed into silence. 

Arriving at the hospital, the two kids sprang out of the car the moment the driver opened the door, sprinting through the white and sterile halls towards the waiting area. There, in the arms of her parents, was Nekomata Ritsuko; her normally well-kept bun had come undone, with tendrils of her long, black hair sticking to her tear-stained cheeks. Seeing her mother's red and puffy eyes almost pushed Sayuri over the edge, and Ushijima could feel her body shaking through their linked hands.

Pulling away, Sayuri rushed over to her family. " _Kaa_ - _san_ , where's  _tou_ - _san_?!" she cried, tugging on her mother's pants.

Ritsuko dropped down and wrapped her arms around her daughter, tears still streaming down her face. " _Tou_ - _san_ is hurt, Kitten. The doctors are bringing him in and they'll try their best to make him better."

Just then, a mess of medical personnel burst in, surrounding an injured man strapped to a gurney. Ritsuko slapped a hand over her mouth and began sobbing harder. "No, no, no!" She leapt to her feet and ran over, pushing past people to reach her husband, with Sayuri and Ushijima following right behind her. "Manabu, honey, can you hear me?!" she pleaded, gripping his battered hand.

"Daddy!"

At his wife and daughter's distressed voices, Manabu's bruised eyes fluttered open and his shredded lips split into a painful smile. "Hey there Ritsu, Sayu," he coughed, his eyes filled to the brim with love and devotion. "I love you both so much."

"I love you," Ritsuko whispered through her tears, her eyes soaking in the features of her husband for what could be the last time.

"Love you too, Daddy," Sayuri whimpered.

Wincing, Manabu shifted his eyes to look at Ushijima. "Toshi, you've grown so much," he murmured, his tone serious and sad. "Take care of my kitten for me, ok?"

"I will," Ushijima promised as the three were ripped from him, the doctors rushing the man into the operating room.

\-----

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

One by one, guests murmured their condolences and bowed their heads, their words and eyes filled with pity — Ushijima found it suffocating. 

It was a few weeks since the death of Nekomata Manabu. With the end of the school year so close to the accident, the Nekomata family decided to hold the wake and funeral during spring break, allowing everyone ample time to travel to Tokyo to pay their respects.

Ushijima watched as person after person, all dressed in black, lined up to say their good byes. They approached Sayuri and her family, and though her mother and grandparents hadn't stopped crying since the beginning of the wake, the young girl's eyes were dry. It pained him to see her so broken, her expression bleak and her voice void of any emotion.

When the ceremony was done and only a few guests were left, Ushijima followed his father as they went to comfort a weeping Ritsuko.

"Takashi," Ritsuko bawled, throwing her arms around her friend.

"I'm so sorry, Ritsuko," Utsui sniffed, returning the hug. There were visible bags under his eyes, having flown in from abroad the night before. "I'm so sorry."

Noticing that Sayuri was gone, Ushijima searched throughout the funeral hall, finding her in the garden. There, her body turned away from him, she looked so small and fragile, her back hunched and her shoulders slumped as if she was caving in on herself. "Sayu?" he asked carefully, not wanting to exhaust her even more — he knew that the past couple of weeks had tired her physically, mentally, and emotionally.

"You know, it doesn't seem real," Sayuri laughed, almost maniacally, her hands curling into fists at her side. "I keep thinking that  _tou_ - _san_ is going to jump out and act like it was all a prank." Looking over her shoulder, she smiled sadly. "But I know that I'm just lying to myself. He's really gone and he's never coming back." She chewed on her bottom lip, almost drawing blood, as she averted her gaze down.

"Toshi- _kun_... _kaa_ - _san_ and I are moving to America."

Ushijima froze, unsure if he heard her correctly. "Huh?"

_No, no, no..._

"Sorry for not telling you sooner," she continued, her nails digging into her palm and her knuckles turning white. "Just before  _tou_ - _san_ passed,  _kaa_ - _san_  was offered a job in California. She was going to say no because she didn't want to uproot our family, but with  _tou-san_ gone..." Her voice trailed off as she gasped for breath, unable to finish her sentence.

Reaching out, he unfurled her fists and laced their fingers together. "When do you leave?" Ushijima whispered, his chest tight.

"Next week, right before school starts."

_So soon?!_

"I think it'll be good for us." Hugging herself as if the only thing keeping her from falling apart were her arms, her face twisted in pain as tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Everything here keeps reminding us of  _tou_ - _san_ and it hurts so much."

"Sayu —" 

His voice failing him, Ushijima paused. There was nothing he could say that would make things easier for Sayuri and her mother. And admitting that he didn't want her to go, when they finally had a chance to get away, would be a low blow. Shutting his eyes and exhaling deeply, he pulled her close and embraced her tightly, his head hanging with both his sorrow and hers as she cried her eyes out.

_Please don't leave me._

"I'm sorry for not keeping my promise, Toshi- _kun_ ," she sobbed into his chest, her hands clutching at his shirt.

At her words, Ushijima's tears finally flowed and he could feel his heart breaking.

* * *

Hands shaking, Ushijima carefully tore open the envelope. 

> _Dear Toshi-kun,_
> 
> _Long time no talk! It's been like, what, over a year since my last letter?_
> 
> _How are you doing?_
> 
> _Kaa-san mentioned that you were attending Shiratorizawa Junior High now. Isn't that Taka-oji's alma mater? I read that it's a powerhouse school and has the best facilities, so it's no surprise that you decided to go there. I bet you're probably the ace of your team already!_
> 
> _As for us, Kaa-san and I have been doing well. Recently, she's been traveling to quite a lot of conferences around the world and I've been lucky enough to tag along on a few of her trips. The picture I included was when we went to Amsterdam; it was so beautiful!_

> _School's alright, sort of boring, but it's always been that way. Besides that, the teachers and my classmates are really nice._
> 
> _Oh, almost forgot something! I know this is going to sound ridiculous, since tou-san and Ji-ji were both volleyball players, but I decided to join a cheerleading gym instead! I can't help but feel like I'm disappointing the Nekomata legacy, but I'm having a lot of fun. And even though I'm afraid of heights, being a flyer doesn't really bother me! I think there's a difference between falling off of something and being thrown up into the air..._
> 
> _Anyway, things have been a little busy as of late. Ba-ba just passed away and since Ji-ji's getting older, Kaa-san and I are moving in with him. I'm a little worried since Tokyo is quite different from Sendai, but it'll be nice to be back in Japan._
> 
> _I'll give you my new address and number once we've settled down. I know you're busy with school and volleyball, but come visit some time, ok?_
> 
> _I miss you._
> 
> - _Sayu_

Taking a look at the photo, he chuckled. In it were Sayuri and her mother in front of one of the many canals in the city, their faces split into large grins as snow fell around them; their cheeks were red from the cold and they were wrapped in puffy coats to keep warm. Sayuri seemed so cheerful, much like when they were kids that Ushijima's heart threatened to burst with happiness.

"Tokyo's not that far," he mumbled to himself as the words  _I miss you_  raced through his mind over and over again, "maybe I can —"

 _You're getting ahead of yourself, Wakatoshi_ , he chided, frowning.

As the years passed, Ushijima had neglected to respond to her attempts at keeping in touch and with no reply from him, her letters had come less and less frequently until they stopped altogether. It hurt him to do it, but with his growing reputation in volleyball, all his time and energy had been devoted to the sport — personal training, practice, training camps, and official matches were now his sole focus.

 _Maybe this is for the best_ , Ushijima thought, sighing as he gently placed the letter and photo into his desk drawer.  _She's better off without someone like me in her life._  

If he couldn't give her the attention she so rightly deserved, he didn't have the right to even be a part of her life.

He gave her smiling face one last look before shutting the drawer, not wanting to be reminded of what-ifs and broken promises.

* * *

" _I love you, Sayu," he confessed, his voice deep and thick with emotion, "I've loved you ever since I first met you."_

\-----

Everyone inside the gymnasium gaped, slack-jawed, as the ball bounced against the ground, the referee's whistle signaling the end of the match. Silence filled the gym for a few tense seconds before the crowd erupted in both cheers and groans — the flightless crows of Karasuno were flightless no more, having won a place at the Spring High Nationals as Miyagi's representative.

Despite the loss, Ushijima was surprisingly calm. While his teammates around him were either holding back their tears or letting them fall freely down their faces, the stoic ace had somehow come to accept his defeat quite quickly. 

With his mind focused elsewhere, it was no surprise that he failed to be the reliable ace he had strived so hard for.

A month and a half had passed since the beach trip and Ushijima had been busier than ever. His schedule packed, there was no time for him to have a proper conversation with Sayuri. Preparing for the Spring High tournament and studying for midterms should have been his priorities — and they were.

Well, that's what he told himself.

He didn't want to admit it, but Sayuri had constantly been at the back of his mind, always threatening to push to the forefront should he slip up. Every thought not directed towards school or volleyball was focused on the girl. How was she doing? Was she upset that he confessed? What did she think of him now? Did she feel the same way about him?

"Hey, Wakatoshi," Yamagata sniffed, rubbing his red and puffy eyes, "someone's here to see you."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ushijima followed the libero outside the locker rooms, coming face to face with none other than the one person he least expected to see.

"Sayu?" he mumbled, incredulously, "What are you doing here?"

A small smile forming on her face, Sayuri stepped closer to him as Yamagata quietly rejoined the rest of the team. "How could I have missed the chance to see the famous Ushijima Wakatoshi in action?" she explained, reaching out to grab both of his hands tightly. "You were great!" 

Furrowing his brows, Ushijima frowned. "But we lost," he stated, bluntly.

Giggling, Sayuri gaze dropped to their linked hands. "Just because you lost, doesn't make you any less amazing." Resting against his chest, she released his hands to wrap her arms around his neck. "Just because you lost, doesn't mean I love you any less," she whispered, so quiet that he would have thought he imagined it if not for her lips moving.

Lifting her head, she looked up into his olive eyes. Time seemed to still for Ushijima, his breath catching in his throat at the look in her gray eyes; it was a look of pride and love and it made his heart beat rapidly in his chest.

"I know I'm a little late, but there was a lot going on and I needed some time to think," she babbled on, her face flushing bright red. "Plus with the Spring Tournament starting, I didn't want to distract you —"

Bringing his hands to her face, Ushijima softly cupped her cheeks. "Sayu," he breathed, afraid to get his hopes up.

Inhaling deeply, Sayuri gave him a sheepish grin. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm in love with you," she confessed, "maybe ever since we were kids. You were always there for me and I guess I just didn't realize, but I think this feeling has always been there because when I look at you now, I can feel it."

"I look at you and...I'm home."

At her words, the rest of the world seem to disappear, leaving just the two of them. Ushijima pulled her close, gently pressing his lips against hers. Their eyes fluttered closed as they leaned into each other, deepening the kiss.

Moments — though it felt like years — later, they broke apart, gasping for air. Embarrassed, Ushijima buried his face into Sayuri's hair as she nuzzled into the crook of his neck, neither making a move to untangle from the other's embrace.

"Guess I'll be able to keep my promise after all," Sayuri mused.

"Hmm?" was all he could manage, his mind still processing everything that had happened.

"I promised we'd be together forever, didn't I?" she chuckled, leaving a trail of soft kisses along his collarbone and sending shivers throughout his body.

 _Forever isn't long enough when I'm with you_. 

* * *

"I'm going get some water," Sayuri offered, waving off her boyfriend's protests to let him do it. "You may be the youngest ace ever to be on the Japanese National team, but don't underestimate these guns," she teased, flexing her arms before turning on her heels and walking away.

Ushijima watched the retreating figure of his girlfriend with a loving gaze before turning to the grave before him and clapping his hands together in greeting. "Good afternoon, Manabu- _oji_ ," he murmured. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Things have been going well for us. Sayu's almost done with her studies at _Tokodai_ and already has several job offers for when she graduates; she's just as brilliant as Ritsuko- _oba_ ," he chuckled. "She's also just as beautiful," he added, his eyes softening, "always has been."

Kneeling down, Ushijima's voice turned serious. "I'm sorry; I said I would protect her and yet, I stood by and did nothing in the years following your passing. I let both her and you down because I was too scared of being hurt, of being left alone again. But thankfully I've been given a second chance and now that life has finally settled down a bit, I plan on fulfilling my promise to you.

"I love Sayu and I want your permission to marry your daughter."

As if some kind of sign, a gentle breeze ruffled Ushijima's hair before dissapating as quickly as it had come, leaving him with a feeling of warmth and love. "I will make her the happiest person alive and will protect her and her heart for as long as I live," he promised, looking up at the sky.

"Toshi- _kun_! Let's clean the grave!" Sayuri said, returning with the bucket, now filled.

Ushijima turned towards his girlfriend and smiled, his heart hammering in his chest as he reached for the tiny jewelry box in his pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the first ending! Damn, that was intense. I ~~kinda~~ cried while writing Manabu's death scene. (Let's be real, I'm still crying)
> 
> Just to clarify, each ending will have a different format and theme, based on their personality and history with the heroine.
> 
> \-----
> 
> NOTE 1: Title is a quote said by Dory from the movie _Finding Nemo_.
> 
> NOTE 2: Ok, so I've always loved the name Sayuri, which is why that's the heroine's name. But I couldn't figure out what her parents' given names would be. But then _BAM_ I realized that Sayuri was the name of Ninako's best friend in the manga _Strobe Edge_ (which is one of my FAVORITE mangas out there). And so, why not use other names from that manga? Manabu, Sayuri's dad, is named after one of Ren's best friends. I thought it'd be a nice fit since "Manabu" means "study, learn" while Yasufumi means "educational history". However, due to how his name is written, he has the nickname "Ga- _chan_ ".
> 
> Also, Manabu (in _Strobe Edge_ ) is in love with an older girl name Ritsuko Kashiwagi, who is tall, cool, and beautiful, which is how I'd picture Sayuri's mother to be.
> 
> Sorry for going so in-depth about majorly minor characters!
> 
> NOTE 3: _Hatsu tanjo_ is a baby's first birthday party in Japan.
> 
> NOTE 4: I made Sayuri talk with a slight lisp and in third person in the earlier parts to show that she's still a baby. Hopefully it wasn't too difficult to understand what the words are supposed to be.


	34. A Game of Cat and Mouse (Kenma Ending)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So what is this all about?" Yaku sighed, "Also, where's Kenma? Shouldn't we wait for him?" Lifting an eyebrow, he frowned, glancing around the group for the setter.
> 
> Kuroo shook his head vigorously. "No, no, this meeting is _about_ Kenma."
> 
> "What about him?" Nobuyuki pressed, his voice tinged with worry.
> 
> "I believe that our shy little setter has found himself a girlfriend."

The Nekoma boy's volleyball team stared at their captain in anticipation as they huddled together in the clubroom before practice. It was a brisk November morning and with the Tokyo prefecture Spring High qualifiers coming up, the boys were busy training for their chance at nationals. Nerves were already high-strung due to the looming matches and with Kuroo calling an emergency meeting, the tension in the air was palpable.

"So what is this all about?" Yaku sighed, "Also, where's Kenma? Shouldn't we wait for him?" Lifting an eyebrow, he frowned, glancing around the group for the setter.

Kuroo shook his head vigorously. "No, no, this meeting is  _about_ Kenma."

"What about him?" Nobuyuki pressed, his voice tinged with worry.

Leaning forward, Kuroo rested his elbows on his knees and laced his fingers together. "I believe that our shy little setter has found himself a girlfriend," he declared, his expression serious.

A moment of silence fell over the group as they took in his words before chaos broke loose.

"A GIRLFRIEND?!" they all shouted in unison, their jaws dropping.

"Shhh!" Kuroo shushed, bringing a finger to his lips. "Be quiet!"

"Let me get this straight," Yaku fumed through gritted teeth, glaring at the bed-headed boy, "the reason you gathered us here, making it sound like it was something really important, was because you think Kenma has a  _girlfriend_?" When Kuroo nodded, he leapt up from his seat. "The _FUCK_?!"

With quick reflexes, Nobuyuki reached out to stop his friend, hooking his arms under the libero's arm pits to hold him back from lunging at the middle-blocker. Realizing that struggling was futile, Yaku slumped against the vice-captain in defeat. Releasing his hold but keeping a wary eye on his teammate, Nobuyuki turned to Kuroo. "Why do you think Kenma is seeing someone?" he asked.

"Well," Kuroo began, "on the weekends, he never hangs out with me anymore saying he has other things to do," he explained, using air quotations. "And I know he's not just at home playing games because I checked! Plus he hardly brings his game console to school and is always on his phone."

"He's probably just playing games on his phone?" Lev offered.

Reaching over, Kuroo grabbed the first-year by the shoulders. "You don't get it," he exclaimed, staring into the boy's eyes before turning back to the rest of the team. "Whenever I catch a glance at his screen, he's texting someone! I tried reading his texts, but he's changed his passcode," he pouted as he let go of the silver-haired boy and returned to his seat.

"And," he continued, ignoring the incredulous looks from his friends, "last month on his birthday, he was weirdly giddy!"

"Uhh...maybe because it was his birthday?!" Yaku pointed out.

"Would you stop interrupting me?" Kuroo huffed. Heaving another long sigh, the libero nodded, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back with an annoyed expression on his face. "Thank you. As I was saying, he was strangely giddy and when I looked through his bag, I found a box with a bow on it. It even had a cute little card that said  _Happy Birthday_ in feminine handwriting!" His normally narrowed hazel eyes looked ready to burst out of his sockets. "I've never seen Kenma even talk to a girl, let along be friendly enough to receive a gift from one!"

Yaku massaged his temples in frustration. "Ok first of all, you need to stop snooping through Kenma's things," he scolded. "That's just rude! Secondly,  _if_ he does have a girlfriend, what do you want us to do about it?"

"I'm glad you asked." A shit-eating grin spread across Kuroo's face. "So, you know how our school's cultural festival is this weekend? I asked Kenma if he wanted to wander around and check out some of the stalls after lunch, but he said he had to help out with his class's booth. However, one of his classmates said that Kenma had the whole afternoon off since he took the morning shift!"

"And..."

"Which means that he's probably going to meet his girlfriend," the cat captain concluded, throwing his hands in the air, "so we should follow him around!"

"I really don't think we should do that..." Nobuyuki hesitated.

"I think it'll be fun!" Lev shouted as Inuoka and Fukunaga nodded excitedly in agreement. 

Throwing an arm over the quiet wing-spiker's shoulders, Kuroo grinned. "See, even Fukunaga is curious! Look, I'm going to do it whether you come or not. If you'd like to join me though, let's meet here right before the lunch break on Saturday."

Before anyone could answer, the door swung open to reveal none other than Kenma, his eyes glued to his phone. "Kuro, why didn't you wait for..." When he looked up to see his team gathered together, his voice trailed off and his mouth twisted into a frown. "What are you guys doing here so early?" he asked, warily.

"Oh, nothing! We all just got here," Lev stammered, "we weren't having a secret mee—" the boy's sentence was cut-off as Kuroo slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Right, as Lev here said, we all just arrived, right before you did!" Kuroo lied. "And I had to finish some homework, so I left for school right after my morning run." Kenma's eyes narrowed at his best friend, but said nothing, walking over to his locker. Carefully tucking his phone into his bag, he began to change into his gym clothes.

Behind the setter's back, Kuroo winked at his teammates. "Remember, meet here!" he mouthed, before getting up to join the pudding-haired boy.

\-----

Later that night, Kenma flopped onto his bed with a groan. All throughout practice, he had felt his teammates eyes on him, their stares boring into his back. Even during school, Kuroo kept watching him as they ate lunch; it was exhausting dealing with all the attention — and yet he wasn't surprised.

Unbeknownst to them, he had actually overheard his team's conversation.

Pulled from his brooding by the sound of his ringtone, Kenma moved to answer the call. Tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder he rolled over onto his side. "Hey," he grumbled, curling his knees into his chest.

"Hey Kenma," Sayuri asked, worried, "Is something wrong?". 

From her tone, he could easily imagine her furrowed brows and the thought made him chuckle. "I'm fine," he assured her, and he heard a breath of relief on her end, "Just tired."

Sayuri's melodic laughter floated through the earpiece and tickled his ear, warming his heart. "Well, Ji-ji's probably working you guys hard in preparation for Spring High."

"Ugh, don't remind me. We have morning and afternoon practices during the week and then practice matches every other weekend." He flipped onto his back with a grunt. "But aside from that, Kuro told the rest of the team that I have a girlfriend, though they don't know who. I heard them talking about it this morning."

"How'd they find out? I know you wanted to keep it a secret until after Spring High."

Kenma sighed. "Sorry, I didn't want the team to worry that my gameplay would be affected by our relationship," he apologized. "And it's my fault that Kuro's so suspicious; I was acting too out of character. Apparently I was too happy or something," he mumbled, blushing when Sayuri giggled. 

"No, no, don't worry about it," she hummed, muffling her amusement, "It's understandable that your team might worry about you being distracted, especially since it's such a crucial time in the season." She paused for a few moments before continuing. "So what should we do? Should we just come out and tell them?"

Just then an idea popped into his head and he reached for his ear buds, plugging them into his phone so he could text as he talked. "Why don't we play along for a bit? I have a plan..."

* * *

The first day of Nekoma's cultural festival was met with lively students, colorful stalls and classrooms, and bustling crowds.

Despite the cheerful atmosphere, Kenma was a mess. All morning, he had been nervous, though it was an understatement compared to his current state. With his girlfriend on her way, he was wearing a hole in the floor from all his pacing.

"Relax, will you? You gave Sayu- _chan_  my uniform so she should be fine," a voice reassured him. "People are just going to assume she's another student."

Biting his nails, he turned to his classmate Uehara Mayuka, who was busy rummaging through a box of props; since their class was doing a cosplay photo booth, the two second-years had used the excuse of getting more costumes from the theater club's storage room in order to meet up with Sayuri. "What if she was already spotted by Kuro? What if —"

Just then the door slid open and Sayuri burst in, her cheeks tinged with red from the cold. "Kenma!" she smiled, removing the baseball cap she was wearing as she bounced over to her boyfriend to peck his cheek. "How do I look?" Gracefully twirling around, she showed off the borrowed Nekoma uniform: a  _seifuku_ consisting of a white top and matching collar with black accents, a red bow, a grey pleated skirt, and a dark blue blazer. "I wish Fukurodani had sailor uniforms. They're so cute!"

Pulling her into a hug, Kenma pressed a kiss to the top of Sayuri's head. "Yeah, you're really cute," he mumbled, burying his face into her hair.

"Aww, how adorable."

Breaking apart, the two spun around and Sayuri's eyes lit up at the older girl. "Yuka- _senpai_!" she exclaimed, running up to and wrapping her arms around her friend. Uehara, currently the vice-captain of Nekoma's cheer team, was once Sayuri's upperclassmen at Teiko. Amongst her old teammates, the girl was her closest friend on the squad, as the two were similar in many aspects, especially popularity. Even now, they still kept in touch and hung out from time to time with the other Teiko cheer alumni.

"Sayu- _chan_!" Uehara squealed, returning the hug. "You're still annoyingly pretty as ever."

Pulling back, Sayuri stuck out her tongue, tugging on one of Uehara's tawny-colored locks. "Oh, you're one to talk!"

"Yeah, yeah," Uehara laughed, gently pinching the girl's cheek. Looking over her  _kouhai_ 's shoulder, she smiled slyly at her classmate. "Who knew Kenma here had the balls to win the heart of the famous Nekomata Sayuri? I was so surprised when I saw you two together!" While on one of their more recent dates, the couple had run into Uehara and her boyfriend at the movies, despite choosing a theater that was far from school. Though she was more than happy to keep their relationship a secret, she had a playful personality and liked to tease her classmate and _kouhai_  whenever she had the chance.

The brunette doubled over with laughter when she saw the couple's mirroring flustered expressions. "Alright, enough with that, let's make you into a new person!" she sang, throwing a pile of things into her friend's arms and ushering her into the make-shift changing area.

"You think this will work?" Sayuri asked, skeptical that a simple disguise could fool the keen eyes of Nekoma's captain — however she was proved wrong. "Whoa..." she breathed when she remerged. She could hardly recognize herself as she stared into the mirror, impressed by the transformation. Her once long, black hair was now a stylish blonde bob and her gray-eyes were hidden behind green-colored contacts. A light dusting of makeup and a pair of glasses polished off the look.

"Are you sure you're ok with this?" Coming up from behind, Kenma gently turned her around and rested his forehead against hers, his golden eyes searching her face for any signs of reluctance.

"I'm fine," she winked, grabbing her boyfriend's hand and lacing their fingers together. "It'll be fun!"

\-----

Meanwhile, Kuroo and the rest of the team had gathered at the clubroom as planned. Looking around at the group, the cat captain smirked. "Oya, oya, oya? What do we have here?" he purred, "I thought that, since a  _certain_ someone said that snooping was "rude", he wouldn't have showed up."

"Well someone has to make sure you all don't do something stupid!" Yaku countered, his cheeks red with embarrassment. "Kai and I are just here to keep you guys in check!" Turning to the vice-captain next to him, the libero nudged him in the side. "Right, Kai?"

Nobuyuki grimaced, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "I still don't think this is a good idea..."

"Don't worry!" Kuroo laughed, placing a hand on his friends' shoulders. "It'll be fine as long as we don't get caught!"

"Whatever," Yaku grumbled, "let's just get this over with. Do you even know where Kenma is right now?"

"According to my sources —"

"What sources?!"

"— Kenma is currently finishing up his shift." Throwing an arm around Yaku's neck and ignoring the boy's protests, Kuroo dragged him out the door. "Come on, let's go!" he called over his shoulder, the rest of the team right behind him. Making their way through the throngs of people, the gang peered around the corner at Kenma's classroom.

"There he is!" Kuroo whispered as their target emerged from the room — alone.

"See!" Yaku hissed. "He doesn't have a girlfrie—"

"Wait, look!"

Just then, a petite girl with short golden hair ran up to the boy. At the sight of her, Kenma smiled and grabbed her hand, shocking his best friend and teammates. Slack-jawed, they watched as he bent over to whisper something into her ear, making her giggle at whatever he said. 

"Hmmm...I thought his girlfriend would be Neko- _chan_ since he had a thing for her during the summer," Kuroo mused, squinting at the blonde next to his best friend and noting the Nekoma uniform she was wearing. "But that's definitely not her. Did we even have a student like that at school?"

"Kenma liked Sayuri- _san_?!" Yaku coughed, choking on his spit in surprise. "I couldn't tell at all!"

Kuroo smirked, bopping him on the nose. "Yes, my dear Yakkun, it was quite obvious," he sniggered, dodging a slap from the libero. "Maybe if you got more lutein and zeaxanthin in your diet, your eyesight would be better."

"Shut up, you red junglefowl, I eat my vegetables, thank you very much!"

Taping the shoulders of the two arguing cats, Nobuyuki sighed. "Sorry to interrupt you, but Kenma and his friend are on the move." Keeping a safe distance, the group quickly scrambled to catch up with the couple, following them outside to the rows of stalls set up by the school's various clubs and sports. Hiding behind a line of cardboard photo stand ins, the boys' eyes roamed the crowd in search of their targets, who they had lost amongst the hordes of people lining up to indulge in the wide assortments of snacks and treats for sale.

"There he is!" Lev shouted, pointing at the couple, who were now seated at a picnic table eating lunch. The two were immersed in their conversation, the girl animatedly telling a story while Kenma listened intently, the food in front of them almost forgotten until she was interrupted by the loud grumbling of her stomach. Laughing, she paused her narration to lean over and feed her boyfriend a piece of _takoyaki._  Kenma blushed furiously, but returned the gesture, even tenderly wiping away some sauce that had gotten on the corner of her mouth.

"Damn," Kuroo whistled, his voice tinged with pride at his friend's display of affection. "Didn't know my boy had it in him!"

Once finished with their food, the pair made their way to the gym where a play produced by the theater club was being held. Taking a seat a few rows behind them, the boys watched as the couple snuggled close, occasionally glancing at each other to share a smile. Next, they followed them to a café, where the two ate slices of apple pie, much to Kenma’s joy. Getting whipped cream on his nose, his girlfriend boldly swiped it off for him before placing the finger in her mouth, giggling at his embarrassed reaction. After, they headed back to Kenma's classroom and the twosome were forced to dress up in a variety of costumes —a butler and his _ojousama_ , a cop and her prisoner, a vampire and witch, along with many others — as his classmates fawned over and snapped pictures of the couple.

It was apparent that Kenma was leading the boys all around the school, yet never once letting them get a closer glimpse of his girlfriend's face.

With the afternoon quickly fading away, the group of boys plopped onto a nearby bench, tired from chasing the two lovebirds around the school. Catching his breath, Kuroo rested his head in his hands. "I can't believe we lost them!" he groaned, dejectedly. Though they were able to keep up for most of the time, the group had finally lost the couple after following them into a haunted house; frightened, Kuroo and Yamamoto had bolted from the classroom, screaming like banshees and the others were forced to run after them.

Suddenly, the sounds of a conversation caught their attention. Peeking over the giant hedge behind them, the boys were shocked to see Kenma and his girlfriend standing together in a secluded area, away from the dwindling festival crowds. Stunned into silence, they watched as she removed her disguise, revealing her identity.

"Phew! Guess blondes do have more fun!" Sayuri giggled, brushing the tangled knots in her hair with her fingers.

Brushing back a few stray tendrils, Kenma frowned. "Sorry about Kuro. I hope you weren't too bothered by him following us around."

"I didn't mind," she reassured him, looking up at him with the gray eyes he loved so much, "I still got to spend the day with you."

At her words, a light dusting of pink settled on his cheeks. "Damn, it's kind of cold," he muttered, changing the subject to hide his embarrassment. 

Rising up onto the tips of her toes, Sayuri reached out to cup Kenma's face in her hands. "Better?" she asked with a grin, the close proximity of their faces making his heart thump wildly in his chest and his eyes darted down to her mouth. Slowly leaning forward, Kenma pressed his lips to hers — it was a sweet and gentle kiss, full of love.

Ruining the moment, the Nekoma boy's volleyball team lost it, exploding through the bush shouting nonsense.

"SAYURI- _SAN_?!" Lev exclaimed, climbing over Yaku to get closer to the couple.

Yamamoto looked distraught. "K-k-kiss...K-kenma k-kissed a g-girl?" he stammered, his eyes watery. 

"YOU'RE DATING NEKO- _CHAN_?!" Why didn't you tell me?" Kuroo cried, dramatically falling into Shibayama's arms. "I thought we were best friends!"

Jumping apart, the couple were wide-eyed at the chaos before them. Finding the situation hilarious, Sayuri burst into laughter; wiping the tears from her eyes as she struggled to regain her composure, she looked at her flustered boyfriend. "You weren't exaggerating when you said his reaction would be over the top!"

"This  _is_ Kuro we're talking about," he stated, as if that explained everything.

"How long have you been keeping this from me?!" 

Sighing, Kenma turned to his best friend. "I was waiting until after Spring High to tell you guys, but if you must know, we've been dating since September." Scratching his head, he looked at the rest of his team. "Sorry, I just didn't want you all to think that I was slacking by getting a girlfriend."

"But still!" Glaring at his friend, Kuroo's eyes narrowed. "Wait, does Coach know you two are dating?!"

Cocking her head to the side, Sayuri smiled. "Well, Kenma does pick me up from my house for our dates so...yes."

"Coach knew before I did?!" Nekoma's captain shouted, throwing his arms into the air in disbelief. "Where's the loyalty?!"

Pulling on the collar of his shirt, Yaku dragged Kuroo away from the couple. "Stop pestering them," he scolded. "This is why Kenma didn't want to tell you; you're being so dramatic!" Motioning for the others to follow him as well, the team mom headed towards the school. "Let's go back, it's getting late," he said, noticing the thinning crowds as people headed home for the day.

As they made their way inside, Sayuri and Kenma trailed behind the others. Lacing her fingers with his, she squeezed his hand. "I love you," she grinned, leaning against him. Smiling, he ducked down and snuck in another kiss, longer and deeper than the first one. Seeing her bright red face, he laughed quietly.

"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason why this ending wasn't as "serious" or "intense" as Ushijima's ending is because of Kenma's shy personality. I figured they'd take their relationship really slow and keep it light in the beginning. Plus I can totally see Kenma keeping his relationships a secret because 1) he hates the attention and 2) he hates Kuroo's nosy personality.
> 
> It's also fun to think that as a couple, Kenma and Sayuri like messing with Kuroo.
> 
> NOTE 1: The _red junglefowl_ is a tropical member of the family Phasianidae. It is the primary progenitor of the domestic chicken.


	35. You're My Greatest Adventure That I Never Want to End (Akaashi Ending)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "My, aren't I lucky?" Keiji smirked, glancing at the plates of food on the counter.
> 
> Shaping an onigiri in her hands, Sayuri nudged him lightly in the stomach with her elbow. "Obviously," she scoffed, "not everyone has such a beautiful wife who cooks them all their favorite foods on their birthday."
> 
> "Oya?" Leaning forward, he playfully nibbled her ear. "I think you're missing a dish."
> 
> "And what's that?"
> 
> "You," he chuckled, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Nothing beats eating out your — "
> 
> "Keiji, the kids might hear you!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy belated birthday to Akaashi! 
> 
> I really wanted to get this chapter out on his actual birthday, but I had already finished Kenma's ending so I just uploaded that chapter first. Plus I had a bunch of things going on so I wasn't able to finish this chapter until now.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

"Hey, glad you could make it!" Sawamura grinned as he opened the door. Taking off their shoes and placing them next to the already large pile, Sayuri and Akaashi made their way into the apartment the former Karasuno captain shared with Washio and Sugawara. " _Gokonyaku omedetou_!" he exclaimed, wrapping the two of them into a hug. A week prior, after five years of dating, Akaashi had finally asked Sayuri to marry him, which she gladly said yes.

"Thanks, Daichi, and congratulations on surviving _Tokodai_!" Sayuri smiled in response, "I can't believe you, Tatsuki, and Hajime have graduated. You guys are leaving me to suffer all alone." The brilliant minds that they were, the four of them were accepted to Tokyo Institute of Technology, where they had grown close to each other after countless nights of studying and cramming — as they say, misery loves company.

Now that most of them had just recently graduated, and with the news of Akaashi and Sayruri's engagement, their group of friends had decided on throwing a massive party to celebrate. Handing their host a bottle of wine they had brought as a gift, Akaashi gave a sheepish smile. "Congratulations. And sorry that we sort of stole your spotlight. Graduating college is a huge milestone in life and you all should get the recognition you deserve."

Sawamura shook his head and patted the ravenette on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it! We're just glad to do be done with the whole thing," he assured them, leading them down the hallway and into the living room, where they could hear the chorus of some current pop song. "Everyone's so excited for you!" When their friends noticed Sayuri and Akaashi's arrival, the room exploded with cheers, and the two of them soon found themselves surrounded.

" _Omedetou_!" Hinata chirped, bouncing up to the two to shake both of their hands; standing awkwardly next to him, Kageyama nodded in agreement.

Also among the group was Kuroko and Kise, their faces pink with both happiness and alcohol. "Congrats, Sayuricchi!" the blonde gushed, throwing himself at the girl.

Meanwhile, the bluenette quietly fist-bumped Akaashi before joining his boyfriend and best friend in a group hug. "Congratulations, Nekomata- _san_. I'm so happy for you."

From somewhere in the back of the room, Sayuri saw a hint of auburn rise up and to everyone's surprise, Shirofuku had climbed onto Bokuto's shoulders to get a better view. "Congratu-fucking-lations, you lovebirds!" she whistled, already tipsy; below her, her boyfriend hooted loudly.

The perfect host, Sugawara pushed his way through and broke up the crowd. "Let's give them some room to breathe, alright?" he said with his characteristic angelic smile. "And Yukie, get down from there before you fall!" Once everyone had dispersed, he winked at the couple and handed each of them a drink. "Whiskey sours," he informed them, taking a large swig from his wine glass, "I know how much you love those, Sayuri- _san_." Before she could give her thanks, he balanced a plate of snacks on her cup, making the girl melt. While Sugawara had gone to the University of Tokyo with Akaashi, Yamaguchi, and Kuroko, he had been a constant and calming presence to his friends at  _Tokodai_ since their study sessions often happened at the apartment.

Touched, the Sayuri fanned herself. "Bless your heart, Koushi," she drawled, giving her fiancé a side glance. "If I weren't so in love with Keiji here, I'd marry you in a heartbeat."

With a smirk, Akaashi pulled her close and nipped at her ear. "So anyone who gives you food and drinks will do, huh?"

"Glad to know I'm considered an option," Sugawara laughed, grabbing the open bottle of wine on the counter behind him to pour himself another glass. "But congratulations to you both! Do you know when you'll have the wedding?"

"We're not sure yet," the ravenette replied as his fiancé nibbled at her food. "We're both busy with school, so we'll figure it out once we have more time." Pressing a kiss to her temple, he smiled. "There's no real rush."

Feeding Akaashi a few pretzels, Sayuri giggled. "Keiji and I have been dating for so long that I'm not going to get cold-feet at this point."

"Yes, yes, you guys are adorable," Sugawara sighed before knocking back the rest of his wine. "So many cute couples and yet the amazing Koushi is still single as fuck," he pouted, waving his hand as he walked away. Their eyes followed him as he snuck up behind Hinata and Kageyama, who were making out on the couch, scaring them apart.

The two of them burst into laughter as the boy continued his rampage, this time interrupting a tender moment between Yachi and Yamaguchi. Shaking her head, Sayuri leaned against her fiancé. "Don't worry, Keiji," she beamed, looking up at him, "you know you're the prettiest setter in my eyes."

"Did someone say the prettiest setter?" Oikawa hollered, jumping out at the couple and making Sayuri shriek in surprise.

Right behind him, Iwaizumi stomped over with a furious expression on his face. "Shut up, Shittykawa! She's not talking about you!" he roared, dragging his drunk boyfriend away from the two, throwing an apologetic look over his shoulder. "Sorry, Sayuri, and _gokonyaku omedetou_!"

" _Arigatou_  Hajime!" Sayuri replied, blowing a kiss to her friend and making him blush before turning her attention back to the crowd. "Oh look! There's Sacchan!" she squealed, her eyes spotting her best friend dancing with the other girls and Kise. "I'm going to join them for a bit!" Downing the remnants of her cup, she tossed it into the closest trash bin and sauntered over to the group, her long black hair swishing behind her.

Standing off to the side as he nursed his drink, Akaashi surveyed the scene before him. The apartment Washio, Daichi, and Sugawara shared was by no means small, since the former middle blocker of Fukurodani came from a well-off family, but with so many people crammed into one room, the space seemed cramped. There were small groups of people on the perimeter talking in loud voices in order to be heard above the thumping music the people in the middle of the room were dancing to. In the center of it all was Sayuri, her hips swaying in time to the song and her face split into a large grin. Mesmerized by her graceful movements as one song blended into another, Akaashi failed to notice the group of people sidling up next to him.

"Hey there, Romeo, where's your Juliet?" Komi joked, slapping his former  _kouhai_ on the back and making the poor boy inhale his drink.

"Komi- _san_ , Konoha- _san_ , Sarukui- _san_ ," Akaashi coughed, wiping his mouth as he greeted them. "Hello to you too."

Konoha laughed, tipping his beer at him before chugging it. "You're still as polite as ever, Akaashi. Haven't you known us long enough to drop the formalities?"

"Force of habit, I guess," Akaashi shrugged, finishing his drink before another accident occurred. "Anyway, congratulations on graduating. What are your future plans?" Just like in high school, the three of them attended Waseda together on volleyball scholarships, a similar situation to many of those in the room.

The most sober out of the trio, Sarukui answered for the others. "Well, Aki and I majored in commerce and we're currently looking for your typical white-collar job." He nodded to his shorter friend next to him. "Haruki here studied foreign languages and is planning on going abroad to continue his education," he slurred with pride, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Enough about us, let's talk about you!" Komi exclaimed, turning his head to look at Akaashi with glassy eyes. Using the wall to prop himself up, his mouth twisted into a shit-eating grin. "You finally popped the question, eh? What took you so long?"

Stepping back to avoid the sickly sweet smell of the boy's breath, the ravenette chuckled. "I wanted to give her enough time to run away before I sealed the deal."

With a snort, Konoha nudged him in the side. "Oh come on, she'd never leave you," he mumbled almost incoherently, his drink sloshing in his cup as he moved. "You guys are practically married already! How long have you been dating? Since high school, right?"

Barging in on the conversation, Shirofuku stumbled into Komi, slinging her arm around the libero's shoulders. "Five years!" she shouted dramatically, "They're so lovey-dovey, it's disgusting." Pointing a finger at her mouth as she stuck out her tongue, she pretended to gag at how affectionate the couple was, spilling her beer on Sarukui in the process. Too tipsy to notice, the other Fukurodani alumni laughed along with their former manager.

Tuning out his drunk friends, Akaashi watched from across the room as his lover was now chatting animatedly with Hinata and Yachi, the two of them obviously more than buzzed as they swayed in place. Laughing, Sayuri, gently pried the red cups from their hands and placed them on a table out of their reach. Gingerly grabbing them by the waist, she guided them to the couch before handing each of them a bottle of water and calling over their boyfriends — both who were quite tipsy themselves, but in a much better state than their significant others. After checking that none of them needed extra attention, Sayuri turned to Akaashi and gave him a little wave; in return, he sent her a smoldering look, the alcohol in his system and the atmosphere of the party making him a little bolder than usual. 

Making her way over to her fiancé, she wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned against his chest. "Keiji," she purred, her fingers dipping under the hem of his shirt to dance across his stomach. Looking into her unclouded eyes, it was clear as to what she wanted and it made him shiver with longing. Without another thought, he grabbed her hand and headed out the door, mumbling an ambiguous excuse over his shoulder as he ignored the obnoxious whistles coming from their friends.

On their walk home, light touches and quick kisses made them only hungrier, pausing every few feet to steal a taste. Throwing open the door of their shared apartment, the couple wasted no time in devouring each other's lips as they made their way to the bedroom, their hands clawing away at the layers of clothing separating them. Toppling onto the bed, Sayuri and Akaashi finally broke apart, only so he could pull her shirt off, his fingers leaving a trail of fire as they traveled across her bare skin.

The sight of her swollen lips and flushed cheeks fanned the flames growing inside him. "Your turn," she hummed, her voice low and thick as she ran her hands up his chest under his his shirt, motioning for him to take it off. Sitting up onto his heels, he quickly removed the piece of fabric and threw it onto the floor to join the other discarded clothing.

His breath caught as he admired his beautiful fiancé before him. In only her undergarments, Sayuri's pale skin glowed in the moonlight and Akaashi's fingers itched to explore every inch of it. Her eyes were heavy-lidded and dark with desire, her hair splayed out on the bed around her. Leaning forward, he brushed kisses up and down her body, coming to rest on her lips. "I love you," he breathed.

"I love you too," she whispered, her eyes fluttering closed as they lost themselves in each other.

\-----

Several weeks later, the new school year was in full swing. Since Akaashi was busy with his senior thesis and Sayuri was swamped with projects and midterms, the two didn't get to spend much time together outside of a few peaceful moments when they weren't drowning in assignments. At this point, neither had the time nor energy to even be thinking about a wedding.

After a long day of lectures, Akaashi sluggishly made his way home, looking forward to having a quiet night in with his fiancé. When he opened the door, he was met with chaos: Sayuri's shoes had been chucked aside while her backpack was left forgotten in the hallway, its contents strewn about the floor. Following the haphazard trail of things, Akaashi was led to the bathroom, where he heard soft sobbing coming from inside. Knocking on the door, he frowned. "Sayu, are you ok?" he asked, worried something was seriously wrong with his fiancé. When she didn't reply, he knocked again. "Please, open up."

Just as he was about to break in the door, the knob turned and a teary-eyed Sayuri emerged, her hair in disarray as if she had been nervously running her hands through her locks, tangling and knotting the strands. Sniffling, she shuffled into Akaashi's waiting arms, leaning her head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm here," he murmured, "Tell me what's wrong". As he waited for her answer, his heart hammered wildly in his chest. Pulling back slightly, Sayuri looked up at him with frantic eyes and slowly showed him the thin piece of plastic she had been clutching in her fist.

"Keiji, I think I'm pregnant."

* * *

Morning sunlight trickled through the blinds, falling softly on the couple buried under the plush covers of their bed to hide from the winter chill. Keiji's eyes fluttered open as he felt Sayuri shift next to him and he tightened his grip around her waist. His long fingers lightly tracing circles on the strip of bare skin peeking out from under her shirt, he watched the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest and listened to the soft noises she made as she dreamed, reveling in the feel of her body pressed up against his.

Stirring awake at his touch, Sayuri snuggled closer into his chest, nuzzling her head under his chin. "Hey there," Sayuri mumbled, brushing kisses back and forth along his collarbone, pausing only to nibble on the sensitive area of the crook of his neck. Shivers that had nothing to do with the cold shook Keiji's body and he felt her smile against his skin.

In one swift motion, Keiji pushed himself up so that he was hovering above her, resting his weight on his forearms as he leaned over to return the favor. "G'morning," he hummed, stopping just a hair's breadth away from her lips before closing the distance. Once, twice, thrice, he pressed their lips together, deepening the kiss each time. Pulling back to catch their breath, Sayuri reached up to cup his cheek, the silver band on her left ring finger glistening in the light. He placed his hand over hers, refusing to break eye-contact even when he turned his head to kiss her hand.

Steel-blue eyes were locked on gray ones, and Keiji's heart warmed at the loving look he received.

Suddenly, the tender silence that had settled between the couple was broken by the pattering of footsteps headed down the hall towards their room. Chuckling, Sayuri wrapped her arms around Keiji's neck, bringing him close for one last quick peck before sitting up. "Here they come."

Swinging open with a loud  _bang_ , two small toddlers bursted into the room, launching themselves onto the bed.

"Geh!" Keiji wheezed as his daughter tackled him, knocking him back and plopping onto his chest. "Kyoko, Souta, what did I say about running in the house?" he asked, showering the little girl with kisses while next to them, Souta climbed into his mother's lap.

"But Papa!" Kyoko giggled, slapping a small chubby hand over his mouth, "it's snowing!" Sure enough, when Keiji reached over to pull aside the blinds, snowflakes were falling gently from the sky, scattering the sunlight light and creating little rainbows that danced on the ground. "Ish sho pwetty!" she gushed, her eyes sparkling at the sight.

More outspoken of the two, Kyoko was friendly and always full of energy. She was the spitting image of her mother, with the exception of the eyes she got from her father. On the other hand, Souta, who looked just like Keiji but with light gray eyes, was the complement of his twin sister — he was a quiet toddler, thoughtful and calm.

Wiggling in his mother's arms, Souta tilted his head back. "Mama?" he asked, his voice pleading, "Can we pway outside?"

"Hmmm," Sayuri mused, tapping her chin as she pretended to think about the little boy's request. When the children were unable to take the anticipation any longer, their little bodies bouncing atop the bed, she grinned. "Yes, we can play outside today. I'll call Aunty Yukie and Uncle Bo to see if they want to join us," she chuckled, lifting her son's shirt to blow raspberries on his belly while his sister clapped excitedly at the news.

"Mama, stop!" Souta squealed, attempting to squirm out of his mother's grip, "Pwease, Mama! Ish tickwish!" Planting a kiss on his nose, Sayuri released her hold and he crawled over to hide behind his father, his eyes wary in case of another attack.

"Alright you two," Keiji laughed, turning to his children, "we need to clean ourselves up and eat some breakfast before we can have fun. Got it?" Like cute little bobbleheads, they nodded obediently and began moving towards the edge of the bed.

Grabbing onto their pajamas, Sayuri stopped them before they could get far. "Whoa, whoa, hold on! Isn't there something you guys are forgetting?" Kyoko and Souta both furrowed their brows as they looked first at each other and then their mother in confusion. Sighing, she not-so-subtly jerked a thumb in Keiji's direction. "Don't you know what day it is today?" she whispered loudly, dramatically winking at them.

Realization dawned on their faces and the two children threw themselves at their father, wrapping their little arms around him.

"Happy birthday, Papa!"

\-----

After quickly washing their faces and brushing their teeth, Keiji and the kids headed out towards the living the room. Gently putting the two toddlers on the ground so that they could play amongst themselves, he joined Sayuri in the kitchen, who was busy making breakfast. Coming up from behind, he placed his hands on either side of her, caging her in with his arms. "My, aren't I lucky?" Keiji smirked, glancing at the plates of food on the counter.

Shaping an  _onigiri_  in her hands, Sayuri nudged him lightly in the stomach with her elbow. "Obviously," she scoffed, "not everyone has such a beautiful wife who cooks them all their favorite foods on their birthday."

"Oya?" Leaning forward, he playfully nibbled her ear. "I think you're missing a dish."

"And what's that?"

"You," he chuckled, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Nothing beats eating out your — "

Turning her head slightly, she returned the kiss, this time on his lips to silence him. "Keiji," she laughed, "the kids might hear you!" She playfully slapped his chest before going back to making breakfast. "Anyway, could you get Kyoko and Souta? I'm almost done with the food."

Once their bellies were full, the family got ready for their day out. All snug and warm in their puffy jackets, they headed outside into the wintry streets of Tokyo. While the sky was still gray with clouds, it had stopped snowing, leaving the ground covered in a soft blanket of snow. Sandwich between their parents, Kyoko and Souta were wide-eyed at the scenery around them — the same streets they've walked every day, and yet the dusting of white made it look like a whole different world. Laughing at their reactions, Keiji smiled at their children. "I called Uncle Bo to see if him and Aunty Yukie were free and they said they'll meet us at the park."

"Yay!" the two children shouted, breaking free of their parent's grips. Hand-in-hand, they ran off to explore the winter wonderland before them. 

"Stay close, you two!" Sayuri shouted, her voice tinged with worry; dutifully, Kyoko and Souta maintained a safe distance, pausing every few moments to let their parents catch-up. Shaking her head, she turned to her husband, lacing their fingers together as they followed their children. "I wonder where they get their energy from," she grumbled. 

Chuckling, Keiji squeezed her hand. "They obviously get it from you. You're quite the spunky person, dear."

"Oi!"

" _Gomen_ ,  _gomen_ ," he laughed, pressing a kiss to her temple. With his show of affection, the pout on her face wobbled slightly, making him laugh harder. "So, my dear wife," he wheezed as he tried to regain his composure, "have you finalized the bridal party?"

Sayuri beamed at her husband, her eyes lit up with joy. "Sacchan will be my maid of honor, Yukie, Kaocchan, Kiyoko, and Yacchin will be my other attendants," she listed, using the fingers of her free hand to count off; even after they had gone their separate ways, all of the girls had kept in close contact with each other, some of them even going to the same universities. "Kyoko will be our flower girl and Souta will be our ring bearer, obviously. Ji-ji will walk me down the aisle in place of  _tou_ - _san_. And..." Furrowing her brows, she frowned. "All I'm missing are your groomsmen."

Keiji playfully bopped her on the nose. "I've decided that Bokuto- _san_ , Washio- _san_ , Suga- _san_ , and Yamaguchi will be my groomsmen and Kuroko will be my best man." Having known Bokuto and Washio since high school, and with the latter working at the same company as his wife, the two were obvious choices. As for the rest of them, they had grown close during college since they were all in the same department and often studied together.

"Tetsuya? Not Koutarou?"

Unexpectedly, the quiet bluenette had become a good friend to Keiji throughout the years; not only were they close during their university days, but they had also spent much time together in high school. Never one with much tact, Kise had always dragged his boyfriend along to the Nekomata house, often times crashing Keiji and Sayuri's dates.

"No, Bokuto- _san_  would make a scene," he muttered, shuddering at the thought, "and can you imagine how crazy of a bachelor party he'd throw?"

"That's true!" Sayuri giggled, swinging their arms between them. Her eyes following her children as they chattered excitedly, she sighed. "Can't believe we're finally having our wedding ceremony."

"Well, we  _have_  been married for the past 3 years," Keiji murmured, spinning his wife around to face him. "It's about time."

Tilting her head slightly, she raised her brows and gave him a pointed look. "Well if  _someone_  hadn't gotten me pregnant, we would have had it sooner."

A big surprise to everyone, Sayuri had found out she was pregnant at the start of her third year of college — even more shocking was when the news came that she was carrying twins. With their decision to keep the babies, the couple chose to forgo the wedding ceremony for a later date, and had settled on a quiet gathering at their home. Balancing school and two children at the same time had been difficult at first, but they were able to do it with the help and support of their family and friends.

And now that both Sayuri and Keiji were out of college and with jobs, along with the children being older, it was a perfect time to have the ceremony they've always dreamed of.

Growing quiet, Keiji wrapped his arms around his wife's waist, resting his forehead on hers. "Sayu? Do you ever regret having children so early? In my heart I know we made the right decision, but I can't help but feel like I limited your opportunities because of my carelessness."

Her eyes softening, Sayuri looked up at her husband. "Sure, I wasn't ready at first; I mean we were both so young and had no idea what to do!" she smiled, squeezing his hand. "But I've never regretted choosing to give birth to our children. Thank you for blessing me with such a wonderful family that makes every day exciting." Rising up to the tips of her toes, she pressed a kiss to his lips. "You're my greatest adventure that I never want to end, Keiji, and I love you."

Leaning forward, he returned the kiss. "I love you too, Sayu," he murmured against her lips. "Always have — "

"Mama, papa! Huwwy!" Kyoko and Souta both shouted, running back to their parents and interrupting their moment. "Uncle Bo and Aunty Yukie awh waiting!"

Bending down, the couple pecked each of their children's cheeks, eliciting giggles from the toddlers. Adding to their delight, Keiji lifted Kyoko up onto his shoulders while Souta happily climbed onto his mother's back. Glancing at her husband, Sayuri gave him a sly grin, securing her arms around their son's body. "Race you!" she cried, running off as Keiji and Kyoko quickly followed, the family's laughter trailing behind them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, who knew Akaashi would get our heroine pregnant while in college? :P May be out of character, but it's fun to think about it. 
> 
> Anyway, next will be our last ending!!! :D Thank you for sticking it out this far!
> 
> \-----
> 
> NOTE 1: _Gokonyaku omedetou_ means congratulations on your engagement. (If my romanization is bad, I apologize profusely).
> 
> NOTE 2: I'm terrible at writing sex scenes, so I tried to write it in the most vague way possible. ʅ(ツ)ʃ 
> 
> NOTE 3: Kyoko and Souta are about 2 years old. Sayuri was a couple months along when she found out and they were born during late autumn of Sayuri's third year and Akaashi's fourth year. The ending of this chapter is set several months after Sayuri graduates (being the brilliant person that she is, she still manages to graduate in 4 years and get a job despite having two kids...not without the help of her family and friends, of course).


	36. There's No Love Like the First (Akashi Ending)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you're a person's first love.
> 
> Sometimes you're a person's last.
> 
> And sometimes, if you're lucky, you're both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Portion of this chapter is based off of Chapter 14: Violet of _porphyra_ by deltachye, about Ushijima Wakatoshi and his significant other (reader-insert). Please check it out because it's so good!
> 
> UPDATED: August 3, 2018

One night, a couple weeks after his disastrous confession, Akashi found himself pacing in his dorm room; ever since that fateful day, running through his head and drowning out every other thought, were Sayuri's words.

_"I'm so sorry, Sei. Just give me some time. Please."_

"How much time does she need?" he grumbled under his breath, making what was probably his hundredth lap around his room.

Akashi liked to think he was a patient person, at least when it came to her, but this was too much, even for him. No matter how many texts he sent, or calls he made, Sayuri refused to answer them. With each unread message or straight-to-voicemail call, another crack seemed to formed on the already thin sheet of ice over his patience.

Distracted, he didn't notice the box peeking out from under his bed and in his absent-minded state, stubbed his toe. "Damn," he swore, bending down to rub his sore digit, "what the heck — ?"

Sliding the box out, his irritation melted away and he smiled at the cute wrapping that reminded him so much of the person who had given the gift to him; there was no need for a card, what with the little cats and  _onigiri_ clearly explaining who the gifter was. Removing the lid, he began sifting through the memories it now held: small trinkets, souvenirs, and pictures from his years at Teiko. One photo in particular caught his eye: he and Sayuri were at a park, his arms wrapped around her waist as he nuzzled the crook of her neck, her eyes crinkled and her lips parted as she laughed at something one of their friends had said.

Turning to his bookshelf his eyes easily found the box's original contents: little plush dolls of the two of them, him in his basketball jersey and her in her cheer uniform, holding hands with hearts in their eyes. She wasn't a great sewer, and they weren't perfect by any means, but he loved them all the same.

Just like he loved her.

Without another thought, he grabbed his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found the person he needed. It rang once, twice, before a voice picked up.

"Akashi- _kun_? Is everything alright? You normally don't call."

"Tetsuya," Akashi stated bluntly, "Sorry for the interruption, but I have a favor to ask of you."

There was a pause on the other end as his friend weighed his words. Impatiently, the redhead rapped his fingers on his desk as he waited for an answer. "Before I agree to it, why don't you tell me what it is," Kuroko replied, carefully.

Exhaling sharply, Akashi pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. He had little time to make things right before the love of his life was stolen from his grasp by another, so why couldn't things just go smoothly? "I need you to set up a meeting with Sayu so that we can talk."

Another pause. "Don't you have school?" 

He could feel a growl forming in his throat and his fingers curled into a fist. "That's not important right now, this is an urgent matter," he retorted through gritted teeth. "Sayu has been avoiding me ever since the beach trip and there's something I have to discuss with her."

"I'm pretty sure I can guess the reason why," Kuroko murmured, the tone of his voice grating away at the last of the boy's patience. "Can't you just wait until she's ready to confront you?" he suggested, sounding worried. "Doing this without her permission might just push her away —"

"Please, Tetsuya. I need your help." Akashi cringed at his own voice; he hated how pathetic he was, resorting to pleading, but he couldn't let that bother him now. Not when he was so close. "I can't let go of her again without telling her how I really feel."

"Fine," the bluenette sighed after a few excruciating moments of silence, "I can't guarantee anything, but I'll talk to her and try to schedule something."

His whole body relaxing, Akashi released the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Thank you."

\-----

As the days went by with no reply, Akashi grew more and more restless. At every buzz of his phone, he eagerly jumped to answer it, hoping it'd be the lifeline he so desperately needed.

The suspense was almost unbearable.

When a week had passed after their conversation, at which point he had decided to throw himself into his studies as a distraction, Akashi finally received the text he had been waiting for. Brimming with anticipation, his shaking hand reached for his phone and he stared at the message.   

~~~~~

From:  **Tetsuya  
** To:  **Seijuro**

_Saturday at 8 PM. Her house._

_She said that her mother would be gone for the weekend and that Ji-ji was busy with volleyball._

_Good luck._

_~~~~~_

An almost blank look settled on the redhead's face as he read the message, but the fire burning in his eyes belied the determination and resolve within him.

Akashi Seijuro always got what he wanted and this time wasn't going to be any different.

* * *

The clamor of the train was a quiet lull compared to the waring emotions within Sayuri.

Despite being busy the past couple weeks, with school and cheer practice starting up again, her mind was filled with thoughts of a certain redhead. Though she had brief reprieve due to a hectic day at work, it all came rushing back now that her shift had ended.

_"Sayu, I love you. Please come back to me."_

"What am I going to do," she sighed, leaning back until her head hit the train window with a soft  _thud._

When she made it home, she trudged upstairs to her room and tossed her purse onto her bed. Rummaging through her dresser, she grabbed whatever was on top and headed into the bathroom to shower. Trying to escape reality, if only for a little while, she closed her eyes and let her whole body relax as she let the hot water run over her until her skin turned a pale shade of pink.

Finally emerging from the bathroom, she glanced at her phone to check the time, noticing a text from Kuroko saying he was on his way. "Maybe Tetsuya can give me some advice," she mumbled, gathering her textbooks for their study session. "Hmmm, did he say what subject it was?" she hummed, "Maybe math? Or English?"

_Ding dong_

"One moment!" Sayuri called out as she ran towards the entryway with the books in hand, putting on a smile as she threw the door open. "Hey Tetsuya, come on in..." Her voice faded when she realized that the person standing on her porch was not the quiet boy she had been expecting and her eyes went wide in surprise.

His lips twitching up into a smirk at her expression, Akashi chuckled. "Hey Sayu, how are —?"

But before he could finish his greeting, she slammed the door on him. 

Leaning her forehead against the door, panic started to build with her. "What is he doing here?" she whispered, silently hoping that maybe she was just imagining things, "Maybe if I ignore him, he'll just go away..."

"Sayu, open up!" Akashi softly pleaded, pounding on the door. "I know you've been avoiding me since we went to the beach; you don't respond to my text and calls and I don't want things to continue this way! Can we please just talk?"

His voice broke at the end of his sentence and the resolve she had shattered. Clutching the books in her hand, Sayuri exhaled shakily; she couldn't keep avoiding him forever.

She didn't  _want_ to.

Glancing at the small mirror in their entryway, she tried arranging her face into an expression that didn't scream "prey about to be eaten by some hungry lion", though that's exactly what it felt like. When she was more or less presentable, she gritted her teeth and gently opened the door.

"Sorry Sei, I didn't mean to do that," she admitted sheepishly, hoping her voice wasn't as shaky as she was, and she motioned for him to come inside. "I was just...surprised. I wasn't expecting you." 

Akashi's eyes tightened slightly in guilt, but he quickly regained his composure and shook his head. "No, I should be the one apologizing, showing up here unannounced," he smiled sadly, following her into the dining room. Taking a seat while she headed into the kitchen to get them refreshments, he noticed the textbooks she had just set on the table. "Were you in the middle of studying?"

After handing him a cup of tea, she stiffly sat down into the chair across from him. "No," she answered, tucking her knees into her chest and bringing her mug to her lips "I'm supposed to be helping Tetsuya study for a...wait, did you plan this with him?" she asked, realization suddenly dawning on her and she narrowed her eyes at him. When he didn't respond, only turning away to avoid her gaze, she looked at her mug dejectedly and sighed. "Never mind, I think I already know."

An awkward silence enveloped the two of them, neither one wanting to break it. Though it wasn't in his nature to be the first one to crack, Akashi knew he needed to speak up, otherwise he'd lose all chance of getting her back. Swallowing his pride, he placed his cup on the table, the sound making her head jerk up in surprise.

"Sayu," Akashi murmured, as his eyes locked onto hers, "Please just listen to what I have to say."

His gaze was so piercing that Sayuri was unable to look away. She gulped at the suddenly heavy atmosphere, and tried to squeak out a response, but her mouth remained dry and she could only nod.

"I'm in love with you, Sayu; I haven't _stopped_ loving you, even when we broke up." Reaching over the table, he grabbed her hands and held on tight, hoping to get his point across. "In you, I had finally found someone who I could truly be myself with, to not have to deal with the pressure and expectations that everyone else held to me. To let go and live for myself, to be treated not as someone to be followed but as someone to walk next to, side-by-side. You're the only one who challenges me head on, who isn't afraid to call me their equal."

"With you, I was at my happiest, and the only thing I regret is not fighting harder for you to stay," he admitted, releasing one of her hands to reach up and brush away a stray tendril of hair from her face, the back of his hand longingly caressing her face in the process. "It was the biggest mistake of my life and now that you're here in front of me, I'm not going to let it happen again. Please, Sayu, come back to me."

As the final words left his mouth, Akashi held his breath in suspense. Her face was blank and he couldn't read what she was thinking, but a brief and tight squeeze of his hands gave him some hope.

"Sei, please, don't do this," she whimpered after a few moments, crushing the small sliver of hope he had just moments before. Pulled her hands out of his grasp and curling them into fists in her lap, Sayuri dropped her gaze, fighting the urge not to cry. "You're making it harder for me."

So sure of the bond they had, so sure that she had felt the same way, Akashi was at a loss for words for the second time in his life.

For the second time in his life, his heart broke.

"I see," he murmured, his voice laced with sadness, "If that is how you feel, I can't do anything about it." Reigning in his emotions as best he could, his chair creaked loudly as he stiffly stood up. When the girl still didn't lift her head, he heaved a shaky sigh and began making his way to the entryway. "I'm sorry for burdening you with my feelings, Sayu, but I just had to let you know. I hope that we can still stay friends."

Just as he reached the door, Akashi whipped around and caught the thing that was flying straight towards him, his reflexes the only thing saving him from being hit in the head with a textbook. Shocked, he looked up to find a distraught Sayuri.

"You don't get it do you?" she almost roared, storming up to him and shoving her face into his. The emotion in her eyes captivated him — sadness, frustration, along with a glimmer of something that he didn't dare think about lest it really crush any hope he had once and for all. "You think you know how I feel, but you just don't get it!"

_Crack_

Dazed and confused by her outburst, Akashi reached out a hand towards her, unconsciously trying to comfort her. "Sayu? What —"

"No, stop it!" she shouted, slapping his hand away, as she shook her head vigorously, "Don't try to comfort me!" she cried, gently slamming her fists onto his chest. Leaning against him, she started sobbing quietly. "Can't you see? I did it for you! For your future!"

_Crack_

Unsure of what to do, Akashi motioned to embrace her, but before he could move, she pushed him away, exploding into anger once again. "You were scouted by Rakuzan, the ultimate powerhouse for basketball — they had even offered you the position of captain as an incoming freshman! " she cried harder as she hugged herself tightly, her nails digging into her arms. "When you told me the news, I could tell that you were torn between moving to Kyoto or staying in Tokyo, and it opened my eyes. It felt like I was holding you back and I couldn't do that to you." 

_Crack_

"Hold on, let me —"

But he was interrupted once again. "It was devastating to break up with you, Sei," she admitted, "to me, the hardest thing I have ever done is walk away still madly in love with you. But I only did what was best for you!" Shaking her head, she barked a humorless laugh. "And yet here I am, once again holding you back with my selfish feelings — "

_BOOM_

He had already been walking on thin ice and finally, all sense of the composure he had been hanging onto had snapped.

"SAYU, BE QUIET AND LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY!"

Breathing heavily, Akashi grabbed her by the arms and leaned in close. "Holding me back?" he said, his voice and eyes filled with anger, "When did I ever say you were holding me back?"

"You didn't have to, I — "

Now it was Sayuri's turn to be interrupted, her words silenced by a passionate kiss that left her breathless and her head spinning. "Did I say you could talk?" Akashi murmured against her lips when they broke for air, and unable to speak, she just shook her head.

Pressing his forehead against hers, Akashi reached up to cup her face, tenderly stroking her tear-stained cheeks. "You may know a lot about me, Sayu, more than anyone else I know," he whispered, "but, just like how I don't know your feelings, it looks like you don't know _my_ feelings. Did you ever think that what I wanted the most, what would make me the happiest, wasn't basketball, wasn't prestige, but you?"

When he saw that she had opened her mouth to retort, he smiled softly and pressed another kiss to her lips, once again silencing the girl. Pulling back, he inhaled deeply, finally able to say the words he had always wanted to.

"Nekomata Sayuri."

Her name was like honey on his tongue and he felt almost dizzy with the love he felt for her. "I don't care about anything else, I want you. All of you. Your flaws. Your mistakes. Your imperfections. Everything," he declared, his eyes never breaking contact with hers as he dropped down onto one knee. "I want you, and only you, for the rest of forever."

Overwhelmed by his sudden proposal, Sayuri sank to the floor — right into Akashi's waiting arms. Pulling her close, he covered her face in kisses before pressing his lips lightly against hers one more time. "I've predicted many futures, but they all have one thing in common: you. I can't even imagine living the rest of my life without you, so please, stay by my side."

"Sei, I..."

\-----

"And?!" Momoi shrieked, shooting up from her seat with wide eyes as she lunged out to grab her friend's left hand, bringing it up to her face to inspect it closely. "Where's the ring?" she asked in confusion when she found it bare, her face twisting into a frown, "Akashi- _kun_ 's family is more than well-off so he should have been able to afford something!"

Snatching her hand back, Sayuri grimaced as she brought a finger to her lips. "Sacchan!" she shushed, her eyes flitting around Maji Burger hoping that none of the other patrons were upset at the girl's outburst. It was a slow Sunday afternoon and the restaurant was nearly empty save for a few people who were eyeing the girls curiously. "Please calm down, you're too loud!"

Crossing her arms, Momoi plopped back down with a pout. "So, you said yes, right?" she muttered, cocking an eyebrow to indicate that the answer was obvious.

"Don't put words into my mouth, Sacchan," Sayuri scolded quietly, avoiding the girl's gaze.

The pinkette's jaw dropped in shock.  "I'm sorry, what?" she asked, making sure that she heard her friend correctly. "You...didn't...say yes?"

"We're only sixteen!" Sayuri's hands fidgeted in her lap and she bit her lower lip. "I didn't want to rush into things..."

"You said no?" Momoi gasped incredulously, her voice slowly getting louder with each word. "YOU SAID NO?!" Again, she jumped up and leaned over the table, shaking the noirette's shoulders vigorously. "How could you say no?! Don't you love him?!"

With a shove, Sayuri pushed the girl away before hanging her head in her hands to ease the dizziness. When she had steadied herself, she lifted her head to look directly at her friend. "Of course I love him!" Sayuri declared, her eyes fierce and filled with fire. "I've never stopped loving him! Even after all this time, it always has been and always will be Sei!"

"Then WHY?!"

"Who knows what will happen?!" Sayuri almost shouted, her voice strained. "We've only just got back together after having been apart for almost half a year. I'm not going to risk both of our futures because of a spur-of-the-moment decision!"

Momoi shook her head. "It's obvious that Akashi- _kun_ is head over heels in love with you. There's no way he's going to regret marrying you!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. Pointing a finger at her friend, she narrowed her eyes at the girl. "And what about you?! You, yourself, told me just how important he is to you."

"I would, without a doubt, choose to spend the rest of my life with Sei," Sayuri agreed without hesitation. When she saw the Momoi's bewildered expression, she sighed. "Look, we're both still so young. We have so much time ahead of us to think about marriage that we can afford to be regular teenagers for just a little longer."

Exasperated, Momoi slumped in her seat. "My best friend is out of her mind," she mumbled under her breath. "Can't believe you turned down the love of your life even when he gave you an engagement ring..."

"Whoa, who said I didn't have a ring?"  With a smirk, Sayuri pulled a necklace out from under her shirt and brought it up to their faces. In the middle of the delicate chain hung a simple, yet exquisite trellis ring: wispy vines of silver entwined toward lustrous marquise diamond buds. Her eyes softening, she carefully rested the ring in her hand and admired the way the gems caught the light, casting rainbows on her palm.

"When we're both ready, I'll say yes," she explained, her face breaking into a large grin. "But right now, things are back to how they should be."

"And that's more than enough."

* * *

"Sei- _chan_ 's definitely outdone himself," Mibuchi whistled as he, Hayama, and Nebuya entered the venue of their former captain's wedding.

The exquisite seaside chapel, with its towering windows that lined its walls, offered a beautifully blue ocean view. The white pews were filled with people dressed in formal clothing, all wearing smiles for the happy couple, while in the corner of the room a live string quartet played softly. The long aisle that cut through the middle was lined with carefully arranged bouquets of baby's breath and daisies, the bride's favorite flower. 

Attempting to straighten his tie, the former Rakuzan center looked uncomfortable in his suit. "What do you expect? It  _is_ Akashi," Nebuya grumbled, giving up on crooked piece of fabric. "Of course he'll have a grand ceremony."

"Oh, you muscle gorilla," Mibuchi playfully chided, nudging the boy in the side, "you forget who Sei- _chan_ is marrying. Only fitting to have such a beautiful venue for a beautiful bride."

"She definitely is beautiful," a voice behind them agreed.

Without them noticing, Akashi had quietly joined the trio, a gentle smile on his face. Impeccable as ever, he was dressed to the nines in a full off-white tux with pale gold accents, including a matching bow tie. His red hair, longer than when in high school, was swept back to expose his forehead, giving him a clean and sophisticated look. "Thank you for coming, Reo, Kotarou, and Eikichi," he said, greeting his  _senpai_ , "Hopefully getting here wasn't too much trouble."

"Nah, but we would have gotten here sooner if it wasn't for Ei- _chan_ here," Hayama sniggered, jerking a thumb at his burly friend next to him, "We were almost late because he was pigging out at the hotel buffet!" 

"Why you litt —"

Stepping in between them, Mibuchi gave his signature cheshire smile. "Alright, kids, let's not fight," he chuckled. Turning to the redhead, he tipped his head. "Now, Sei- _chan_ , don't you have to get married? The ceremony's about to start."

Checking his watch, Akashi nodded. "Yes, I should get going. Please enjoy yourselves." 

Just in time, as he positioned himself at the altar, the quartet paused their current song, casting a hush over the room. All heads turned as the first notes of _Canon in D_ began and the wedding party walked down the aisle.

First up were Murasakibara and Kise, both wearing a gray suit with a white collared shirt and pale gold bow ties — the only difference was that Kise was holding a small nosegay bouquet, similar to the arrangements that decorated the chapel. Behind them were Aomine and Uehara Mayuka, who was wearing a cap-sleeved gown made of pale gold satin and holding the same bouquet as Kise, her hair pulled back into a braided half-updo. Bringing up the rear were the best man and maid of honor, Midorima and Momoi, who were also acting as the ring bearer and flower girl.

When everyone had taken their places, the room stilled and time seemed to freeze as Sayuri emerged through the grand doors.

Down the aisle she came, the sun streaming through the windows and acting as a spotlight. Holding onto her grandfather's arm, Akashi watched Sayuri slowly make her way towards him, each step bringing them closer together. His throat went dry at the sight of her: a high-neck lace bodice with cap sleeves hugged her body, tapering at the waist before flowing out into a floor-length skirt, her train trailing behind her. A long mantilla veil rested upon soft curls that framed her face, the dark color of her hair a stark contrast against the pale color of her skin and the bright white of her dress.

Nothing was more beautiful to him in that moment than her.

She was breathtaking.

After what felt like forever, Sayuri finally reached the altar, quickly leaning over to brush a kiss on her grandfather's cheek before he made his way over to sit next to her mother. Once he was seated, she turned to her groom so that he could remove her veil, revealing her shining eyes and her lips spread into the brightest grin he had ever seen. Returning her smile, Akashi's hands found hers and they held on tight.

As the music faded, Kuroko stepped forward, clearing his throat to signal the beginning of the ceremony. "Good afternoon, family and friends. We have gathered here today not to mark the start of a relationship, but to acknowledge and strengthen a bond that already exists. And as their dearest family and friends, it is our honor and privilege to stand witness to this public affirmation of that bond."

Turning to the couple, their quiet friend smiled. "Marriage is a commitment in life, where two people can find and bring out the very best in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human relationship can equal, a physical and emotional joining that has the promise of a lifetime. When this commitment is seriously made and continuously fulfilled, it leads to the richest and most rewarding of human relationships." He paused to let his words sink in before he continued, allowing Sayuri and Akashi to steal a glance at each other.

"Your relationship will take more than love. It will take trust, to know in your hearts that you want only the best for each other. Dedication, to stay open to one another, to learn and grow, even when it is difficult to do so. And faith, to go forward together without knowing what the future holds for you both. While love is our natural state of being, these other qualities are not as easy to come by. They are not a destination, but a journey. Marriage is a give and take between two personalities, a mingling of two endowments which diminishes neither, but enhances both."

"Seijurou and Sayuri, please join hands and look at one another; ingrain this moment into your minds for all time." His pale blue eyes looked at both of them before locking onto red ones. "Seijuro, do you take Sayuri to be your wife?"

"I do," Akashi replied without hesitation, his voice strong and steady.

"Sayuri, do you take Seijuro to be your husband?"

Lacing their fingers together, Sayuri attempted to stifle her tears. "I do."

"Then please turn to each other and share your vows."

His heart swelling with love, Akashi gently cupped her face with one hand, the other still tightly holding on to Sayuri's. "All my life, I've had goals, aspirations, things I strived to achieve. Yet deep down, I knew they were just impersonal whims that were instilled in me by other people. Before you, I was a broken puppet; on the surface, I was the perfect child trying to meet everyone's expectations while on the inside, I was falling apart. I didn't think for myself, I didn't do for myself, I didn't _live_  for myself." Overwhelmed, he paused for a moment to caress her cheek, taking a shaky breath to regain his composure before continuing with his vows. "But when I met you, Sayu, everything changed. You were a radiant beam of light that chased away the shadows engulfing my heart and for the first time ever, I did something truly of my own accord — I fell in love with you. It was so unexpected and unplanned that I was scared at first, but taking the chance will forever be the greatest decision I'll ever make. Because with you, I was able to break free of the chains that bound me and dream of a future where I wasn't just an empty shell. With you, I feel  _alive_."

By now, both gray and red eyes were filled with tears and yet neither made a move to swipe them away in fear of breaking the intimate gaze they shared. 

"Sei, there's little to say that you haven't already heard, and little to give that is not already freely given," she began, her voice thick with emotion. "Over the years, you've been my greatest challenge and reward, my best friend and confidant, my partner and equal in all aspects. Most importantly, though, you've made me feel more loved than I ever thought possible. And just when I thought you couldn't make me any happier than you already have, you proved me wrong when you got down on one knee and asked me to marry you."

Her lips trembling, Sayuri lifted her hand to hold onto his. "But even before you asked me, I was yours and I am devoted to you in every way. Loving what I know of you, trusting what things I will discover, and knowing that we do not complete, but complement each other, I stand before you today with no hesitation or doubt. For the rest of forever, I choose to stand by your side and rest in your arms. To be the light that guides you in the dark and the warmth that shields you from the cold. To laugh with you in good times and struggle alongside you in bad times. To learn with you and grow with you, even as time and life changes us both, because my commitment to you is absolute."

Tears freely flowing down their faces, the couple beamed at each other as they brought their linked hands in front of them before turning back towards their friend; waving at Midorima, Kuroko motioned for the best man to hand over the rings. "You have expressed your love to one another through the commitment and promises you have just made and have chosen to seal your vows by exchanging rings. They are the outward and visible sign of the inward and invisible bond which already unites you two hearts in love." Facing Akashi, he handed him the thin silver band. "Seijuro, as you place this ring on Sayuri's finger, repeat these words after me: I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you to be my wife, my partner, and my best friend to the end of my days."

"I give you this ring," he echoed, his hand shaking as he slipped it onto her finger, "as a sign that I choose you to be my wife, my partner, and my best friend to the end of my days."

Turning to Sayuri, the bluenette handed her the remaining band. "Sayuri, as you place this ring on Seijuro's finger, repeat these words after me: I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you to be my husband, my partner, and my best friend to the end of my days."

"I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you to be my husband, my partner, and my best friend to the end of my days."

With the rings exchanged, Kuroko's face split into a huge grin. "You have kissed a thousand times, maybe more, but today the feeling is new; today, your kiss is a promise. No longer simply partners and best friends, you have become husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

At that moment in time, it was as if nothing else existed in the world. The whistles and cheers coming from their family and friends faded away when their lips finally met, leaving just the two of them as they began the next greatest adventure of their lives.

Together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THAT'S A WRAP!!
> 
> Holy shit, I can't believe we made it this far. I just want to thank all of you for reading my story and all the support you've given me. I was a little ambitious with my first fan fic — I really bit off more than I could chew by making it a multi-chapter fic with not one, not two, but FOUR love interests. _PHEW_
> 
> Anyway, I may or may not be doing a multi-chapter side story (it'll be like a part two of this series kind of thing) where I elaborate on Akashi and Sayuri's history at Teiko. I got too attached to this pairing and I can't just end it here. Not sure when I'll post the first chapter, but it'll probably be after the holidays since I'll be going out of the country.
> 
> Thanks again!
> 
> \-----
> 
> NOTE 1: Title is a quote by Nicholas Sparks.
> 
> NOTE 2: Writing a wedding scene is hard! I had to search online for a fuck ton of ceremony scripts because, while I've been to many weddings, I've never paid attention to what they said. The vows were easy to write though :P
> 
> NOTE 3: Wedding chapel is based off of the seaside chapel on Jeju Island. It's my dream to get married there.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any of _Haikyuu!!_ or _Kuroko no Basuke_ characters. All rights belong to the series's creators.


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